The Royal Commoner
by Amnestyyy
Summary: [AU] Anna is but a simple commoner, looking forward to the Queen's visit to her village. Little does she know that it will mark the start of some very interesting events. Elsanna (non-incest)
1. Chapter 1

**I feel like I should maybe say that I do not own Frozen? Well, I don't, so there you have it :)**

**Also, this story is going to contain Elsanna (non incest) so if you don't like that, you're probably not going to enjoy this story...**

* * *

Chapter 1

"Anna!"

_No… No… Just a little while longer…_

"Anna!"

_It's getting hard to ignore now…_

"Anna! Where are you?"

The redheaded girl opened her eyes with a deep sigh. She'd been taking advantage of the rare chance to unwind. It had been far too long since she had been able to take a nap in her favourite tree, perched onto one of the thicker branches of the large tree.

"Over here!" she shouted, replying to the distant voice. Distant, yes, but not distant enough. She listened as the sound of her grumbling brother came closer, breaking twigs underfoot and chasing all the animals out of the forest.

_I swear he's as subtle as Sven sometimes..._

"Anna! Where in heaven's name are you?"

"Up here, Kristoff!"

Her brother, large of posture with wild blond hair covering his head, craned his neck backwards, peering through the foliage to find his little sister. "Anna, come down before you hurt yourself! Dad wouldn't forgive me, you know that..."

Anna huffed audibly, but nimbly made her way down the tree nonetheless. "You know I never hurt myself, you big oaf. I'm a picture of sophisticated grace, remember?"

Kristoff merely chuckled, rubbing his neck with one of his large hands. "Sure, _your grace_. Whatever you say. Sorry to interrupt whatever you were doing up there, but dad wants us to come home and prepare for _you-know-what_."

Actually, Anna didn't know. She had the feeling that she should know, but she found herself absolutely clueless. Apparently, her face betrayed as much, as Kristoff chuckled warmly.

"You actually forgot didn't you? The reason we've been working like horses these past few days? The reason you actually had the time to sit up there?"

Anna felt the blood rushing to her face at her brother's question. For a moment, she contemplated denying it, but only until she realized that would surely backfire.

"Yeah, maybe I did. So remind me!"

"The Queen's visit?"

Now Anna remembered. "Come on, Kristoff, what are you waiting for?" she yelled over her shoulder while running off towards home. The blonde boy merely let out an exhausted breath before giving chase, Anna not paying him any attention anymore.

How could she have forgotten? Of course the Queen was arriving in their village later today. Queen Elsa had only been crowned Queen of Arendelle a few weeks ago, and as part of a large public campaign, she was now visiting all the cities and villages in her kingdom. The messenger that had announced it had called it 'getting to know the kingdom and its inhabitants,' but Anna didn't expect that much of it. Nevertheless, to get a chance to catch a glimpse of the elusive queen... It was not an opportunity she was going to pass up. She'd heard so much about her. People said she was the most beautiful woman in all of Arendelle, and even the surrounding kingdoms. But then again, they also said she could conjure ice from her hands, so maybe she should take everything with a pinch of salt...

Before she knew it, she had arrived at the edge of the forest. She quickly clambered over the fence that separated their home from the forest. She took a deep breath as she looked around the fields around her, chest swelling a little with pride. The farm didn't _usually _look as clean and well organized as it did now, but she didn't allow that to get her down...

Oaken Farm was the largest farm of Hellmark, the village where Anna lived with her father and brother. She had been born here, and raised on the farm, helping out with the animals and the harvest as she grew older. Yes, it was a life of hard work, but she enjoyed being busy, and the physicality of the work never bothered her.

"Yoo hoo! Anna! Kristoff! You need to get ready, ya?" a voice boomed over the fields. Anna smiled and waved in acknowledgement at the large figure standing in front of one of the barn doors. Her father really was a massive man. Maybe that's why everyone in the village had so much respect for him. Everyone practically considered him the mayor of the village... then again, maybe that was because their farm provided most of the food around these parts, Anna wasn't really sure.

After making sure Kristoff had actually managed to find his way out of the woods, Anna ran to their house, a small two-story cottage made out of stone, with a roof made of straw, and clambered up the flimsy stairs to get to her room. She knew the queen would probably just be riding through the village in the royal carriage, but she wanted to make sure she looked her best nonetheless.

Pulling open the closet, she was faced with a massive problem. "This dress looks like the sacks we use to store our potatoes," she muttered under her breath, throwing the piece of clothing on the ground next to her. "This one has hole in it, which I really need to fix. Maybe this one? Oh, no, it has a large smudge on it from that time I slipped while feeding the horses... I should've washed it out immediately after... I don't think that stain is ever going to come out now..." It took her nearly half an hour to finally settle on her outfit, settling on a simple green dress with a black bodice. It was the best thing she had, and she'd only worn it once during a holiday dinner.

She made her way over to the cracked mirror hanging on the wall and started pulling her brush through the wild mane that her hair had become. Without further thought, she crafted her usual two braided pigtails. As an afterthought, she took two green ribbons from the only drawer in her desk and tied those in her hair as well.

_Perfect... Or at least, as perfect as it's going to be._

When she came downstairs again, she found her father and brother already waiting for her. They had both exchanged their dirty outfits for clean ones, only a little more decent than their regular wear. Kristoff whistled as Anna jumped off the last step of the stairs.

"Well, look at you, feisty-pants! You look like a real lady. Better be careful the royal party doesn't accidentally take you with them!"

Anna blushed slightly, giving her brother a little pout.

"You look beautiful, Anna," her father smiled gently. Kristoff nodded in the affirmative, agreeing with his father wholeheartedly.

They both sat down to wait until noon, which would be when the queen would arrive, but Anna couldn't find the peace to sit around quietly. She bustled through their little home, putting random stuff away in cupboards, before taking them out again and putting them away somewhere else.

When it was finally time to leave, the three casually sauntered to the village's central square. If you could even call it that. Technically, it was a slightly broader street than the rest, making it the most suitable spot for large gatherings. On their way, they were greeted by the other villagers they passed. After all, everyone knew the Oaken family. They found a relatively quiet spot in front of the bakery, from where they would be able to see the carriage.

After what appeared to be an eternity, Anna finally saw the carriage coming up the hill, pulled by four large, white horses, looking much more majestic than any of their own horses. The carriage itself was even more impressive, and appeared to be made out of gold entirely. On its sides, the Arendelle symbol had been painted – a green crocus in front of a large, white snowflake. Anna could hardly suppress a squeal when the carriage came to a halt, and a portly man in a fine suit stepped out, motioning for silence.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Her Royal Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" he spoke, not quite shouting, but being loud enough for everyone to hear him. As soon as the Queen stepped out of the carriage, Anna felt her breath hitching in her throat.

_Well, damn. She may not be able to shoot ice out of her hands, but I bet she _is_ the most beautiful woman in the kingdom_. Evidently, Anna was not the only one who thought so, as she saw several of the men in the crowd swooning. _And who could blame them?_

Anna couldn't help herself. She _had_ to stare. The Queen was long and slim. She had curves exactly there were men found them desirable, and Anna felt a pang of jealousy rising up from her stomach. And that long, platinum blonde hair, neatly wrapped up in a tight bun at the back of her head. And that dress, light blue and shimmering as if it were covered in jewels...

The Queen stood proudly on the makeshift stage, allowing her gaze to wander over the crowd, sometimes lingering on a face or group of people. Anna had never given the Royal House much thought. Why would she, after all? They never came to Hellmark anyway. Of course, news of the untimely death of the King and Queen had reached the village, but no one was really fazed by it. Anna was certain that, at this moment, she could not be more awed by the presence of her Queen. And then it happened.

The Queen turned her head, her eyes shifting from the right side of the crowd to the centre. Anna could practically feel her gaze moving over her, further to the right, and then back. Before she could prepare, her eyes suddenly locked with the icy blue gaze of Queen Elsa. The Queen continued staring at Anna for what felt like an eternity to Anna. When she finally shifted her eyes away, Anna couldn't help but feel mushy on the inside... and more than a little disappointed.

* * *

The Queen sat in her carriage, alternating between rubbing her temples and pinching the bridge of her nose. Kai, her head servant, had just told her they would be arriving in the village of Hellmark in a few minutes. Frankly, she just wanted to go home. She understood the importance of visiting the outlying cities and villages, especially after the neglect they suffered from her parents, but that did not make the journey any more enjoyable.

When the carriage slowly came to a halt, Elsa peeked out of the window. Hellmark was a small village, no more than a hundred villagers. Kai looked at her with raised eyebrows, and Elsa nodded her head in reply, wiping the fatigue and annoyance off her face as he opened the door and stepped outside to announce her. Once he had done so, she gracefully stepped outside, smiling at the cheers from the crowd. She didn't motion them for silence, taking the opportunity to scan the crowd.

She started on one side, and quickly came to the conclusion that the village consisted mostly of farmers and craftsmen. _Well, at least there are no nobles around these parts_. She shifted her eyes to the other side of the crowd, only to suddenly jerk her gaze back to the centre. _Surely my eyes betrayed me..._ _Or not_, she thought, looking at the largest man she'd seen in her life. She was certain that he could lift her with a single hand. Only then did she notice the girl standing next to him, and for a moment, everything around her seemed to disappear.

She knew it was unprofessional, but those blue eyes kept her own imprisoned in their own little world. She only faintly noticed the red hair, the freckles on her cheeks, and the simple but elegant dress. Only when Kai audibly cleared his throat did the Queen snap back to attention, clearing her own throat as well.

"Citizens of Hellmark," she started, knowing her speech by heart now that she performed it for the umpteenth time. "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle, daughter of King Agdar and Queen Idun. I am grateful to be welcomed in your village. I realize that my parents, bless their souls, hardly ever left the capital. Many you have suffered under that negligence, but I intend to set that right. I want to know what goes on in my kingdom, and in the lives of my citizens. I want to help where there's trouble, and I want all of you to know that I have your best interests at heart. Thank you."

Her eyes quickly darted back to the red headed, blue-eyed, green-dressed woman at the back, before she turned away to step off the stage and walk towards Kai.

"We'll be staying here tonight," she muttered.

"Your Majesty, we're supposed to visit the village of Northelm tonight," the portly servant interjected.

Elsa merely shook her head. "Send a messenger ahead to let them know we'll be arriving tomorrow at noon."

"Of course, Your Majesty. But, if I may, we do not have food and shelter arranged here."

Elsa hadn't thought of that, but she was remarkably good at thinking on her feet. "Ask the citizens if they have room and food for us. Also, let them know I'd like to speak to those that want to, and arrange a proper meeting place, if you could."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"Oh, and Kai? I'm sorry for all the extra work. I just don't feel I can take the 'two-villages-a-day-routine' anymore."

"That's quite alright, Your Majesty. What else would I be here for?" Kai smiled jovially.

* * *

Anna sat in her chair, her feet placed on the table, and leaning backwards, causing the chair to dangerously balance on two legs. Anna didn't care. In fact, she didn't even notice. She was too deep in thought. _Those blue eyes_.

She was trying to convince herself that she had been mistaken. Of course the Queen hadn't been staring at _her_. It had been the other way around. Surely her mind had played a trick on her, causing her to believe those abnormally blue eyes rested on her for such an extended period of time. Anna had to admit, though, it had been a very good trick. Good enough to have her thinking about it for five hours straight.

Kristoff, who was trying to patch a hole in one of his pants, occasionally glanced over to his sister. She had been eerily quiet for too long. Usually, she'd be bustling around the house, spewing out a waterfall of random words, or working outside. A spell of silence like this one was extremely uncommon for the little redhead. In fact, he was starting to become a little worried. Before there was any time to ponder on it, though, the household was startled by three gentle knocks on the front door.

Oaken, who had been dicing up vegetables at the small counter, made his way to the door, both of his children looking on. As soon as he opened the door, Anna gasped audibly, seeing the servant who had announced the Queen, standing right there, on their front porch.

"Ya, what can I do for you?" Oaken asked politely.

The Queen's servant smiled humbly. "The Queen has decided to stay in Hellmark for the night, and I've been tasked with finding suitable accommodations. We've been told that this is the largest farm in the village?"

"Correct, ya," Oaken beamed back, hardly trying to hide his pride.

"Would it be possible to house some of our guards in one of your barns tonight?"

"We have two barns empty, right Kristoff? Men can stay there, hm?"

Kristoff merely nodded. Watching as the servant opened his mouth again. "Marvelous, marvelous. That leaves me with only one question. Would you mind the Queen dining with you and your family tonight?"

The following silence was only broken when Anna let out a cry of shock and pain as she hit the ground, the chair having tumbled backwards because of her spastic movement. Neither her brother nor her father paid her any mind, staring at the servant as if he had suddenly grown an extra head and three tails.

"Of course, if you would rather not, we'd arrange something different," the servant started.

Oaken quickly shook his head, opening the door a little wider. "We'd be honoured, really. But as you can see, we do not have much room, ya? Nothing like Her Majesties palace. And the food here is simple, hm? No palace food."

The servant merely smiled. "Her Majesty is aware of the fact that she won't be enjoying her usual comforts. She feels it will enable her to get closer to the people."

"We'd be honoured to host our Queen, most certainly," Oaken replied sheepishly. The servant nodded with a satisfied smirk. "Good, good. Would an hour and a half from now be acceptable?"

"Ya, definitely."

The servant nodded and turned to walk away, only to be stopped by a certain outburst behind him.

"Wait!"

He turned around again, seeing a young woman sprawled out on the ground, her face as red as her hair.

"I mean... Could you please wait a moment, sir? I was thinking- Or well... I wanted to ask... Not that it's any of my business, but er... Yeah, so... Where will the Queen be sleeping, exactly?"

The servant raised his eyebrows slightly, before knitting them together in a frown. "We have not yet found suitable accommodations for Her Majesty."

"Oh... Oh! Because we have like, totally room. Spare room. Upstairs. Like, no one's there. Now. Or later. Like tonight. And privacy. I mean, she'd have privacy. And stuff. Very clean, too. Totally not a mess. Like, at all. Nope sir! No mess upstairs."

Anna was very aware of her tendency to babble and ramble when she became nervous. Around the farm, it didn't happen all too often, luckily. Anna was usually quite comfortable around other people, but royalty was another thing entirely.

The servant seemed to think for a moment, before nodding. "I'm certain the Queen will be happy to spend the night here, if that's okay with you?"

Oaken and Kristoff merely nodded, after which the servant mirrored the motion and walked off again. Once the door was closed, Kristoff turned towards his little sister.

"You _are_ aware of the fact we _don't_ have a spare room, right?"

Luckily for Anna, it was not possible for her face to become more red than it already was. She nodded frantically, scrambling up from the floor. "I know!"

"So...?"

"She can sleep in my room," Anna blurted out. "I'll find another place to sleep. Not the barns, because there will be soldiers sleeping in the barns. Oh, and we need to clean! And dinner. Father, will you be making dinner?"

Oaken was already back at the counter, cutting up the vegetables with renewed vigour. The next hour was spent cleaning the small cottage, with Anna paying special attention to her bedroom. She put the mess of clothes back in her closet, opened the window to let in fresh air, replaced the linens on the bed, got rid of the clutter on her desk, and made sure there wasn't a speck of dust on any surface.

By the time she came back downstairs, the small dining table had been set for four, their best plates and cutlery on full display, and the entire cottage smelled of fresh vegetables and roasted meat. Kristoff just emerged from the cellar, holding a dusty bottle of wine, while Oaken still stood at the counter, performing some final adjustments to the food. The tension in the house was palpable as they awaited their royal guest.

Kristoff sat in the corner, occasionally throwing carrots out of the window to his pet reindeer, Sven, who had been moved out of sight. "Who would've thought... the Queen... dining... here... with us... Good, little old us... Hehe... That'll be some story to tell our children..."

All three residents of the cottage jumped notably when there was knocking at the door. Oaken opened it slowly, as if he were second-guessing his decision to host the Queen in his humble abode. When he opened the door, the portly servant stood in front of it, flanked by two armed guards. Once Oaken stepped aside, the two guards entered the house, scanning around the room for possible threats, before turning back to the servant and nodding.

The servant stepped aside to reveal the radiant form of the young Queen. Anna couldn't help but gawk. She still wore the sparkly blue dress, but her hair had been released from its bun, now casually draped over her shoulder in a single French braid. She smiled shyly at the three commoners. _What an odd twist of fate that I would run into _her_ of all people_.

"Good evening," she smiled. "I understand I will be dining and sleeping here. Thank you very much for your generosity."

"The pleasure is all ours, hm?" Oaken replied cordially, eyeing the guards slightly.

Kai whispered something to the Queen, who nodded in reply. The servant then turned on his heels and walked off.

"Can I... Can I come in?" the Queen asked somewhat hesitantly.

"Oh, ya! Of course."

The Queen smiled warmly as she stepped into the small house. She then turned towards the two guards, still flanking the door. "You can wait outside."

"But Your Majesty-"

"I'm not in any danger here, gentlemen," she interrupted, her tone indicating that there was to be no discussion. Once they were outside and the door had been closed, the Queen looked at her hosts again. "I'm sorry about them. They're just doing their work..."

"Of course, of course," Kristoff immediately murmured. "Here, please. Take a seat. Dinner's ready to be served, if that suits you?" He pulled out one of the chairs, which the royal gracefully took.

"Thank you. But really, I'm your guest tonight. I will be the one adapting to you, not the other way around."

Once they were all seated around the dining table, Oaken revealed the food, simple meat and vegetables, with an apologetic smile. "It's not much, but-"

"It looks absolutely delicious," the Queen interrupted before her host could apologize. "I didn't give you much time to work with."

The first few minutes of dinner were tense and awkward, no one feeling comfortable enough to speak. Anna, however, was not someone who dealt well with awkward silences. Especially now, with such a goddess sitting across the table from her. Frankly, five hours of thinking had not been enough to clear her mind from some of the confusing thoughts and feelings the Queen had sparked. "So, Your Majesty the Royal Queen..." she started, not entirely sure what she was going to say, and blushing at the tiny smile that graced the Queen's lips. "I'm Anna." _Way to go. Like she cares about your name. She just wants to eat in peace. Just shut up._ "That's my brother Kristoff, and my father Asger, but everyone just calls him Oaken." _Way to shut up, Anna. Really, great job you did there._

To her surprise, the Queen actually smiled at her. "Pleasure to meet you all. In the heat of the moment, I actually forgot the proper introduction etiquette. My name's Elsa, but I suspect you were aware of that."

"Right! Etiquette. We don't usually do that stuff. Not that it's not important! Oh no! It really is... We just don't do it. I don't mean to say we're not civilized people, because we are, but not as civilized as you. You're civilization incarnate! We're cavemen compared to you."

"Anna!" Kristoff grumbled, interrupting her rambling.

"Right. Sorry. I tend to talk when I get nervous. Like, a lot. There's no stopping my mouth sometimes. It just keeps going and going and now I'm doing it again and I'm shutting up now sorry." Anna took a bite from her food to prevent herself from continuing her embarrassing babbling.

The Queen raised her hand to her mouth, covering it to hide a small smile. "That's quite fine, Anna. I imagine the Queen coming to dinner nearly unannounced would put most people on edge."

The remainder of dinner was filled with the Queen telling stories from previous villages and cities she had visited, as well as Anna and Kristoff recalling some of their childhood antics, none of which failed to bring a smile to the Queen's beautiful lips.

Sometime after dinner, there was another knock at the door. Oaken opened it, only to find his front porch swarmed with Royal Guards and servants. "Good evening, sir. We were told we could spend the night in your barns?"

Oaken nodded happily, sending Kristoff with them to show them the barns. Once he returned, looking considerably more exhausted than when he had left, the Queen immediately asked whether everyone had been able to fit in the barns. After Kristoff had replied in the affirmative, the Queen seemed to relax somewhat.

"If it is not too much trouble, I would like to retire for the night, now. I'll have to rise early tomorrow if we want to reach Northelm by noon tomorrow."

"Of course!" Oaken boomed, louder than necessary. "Anna will show you your room, ya?"

Anna blushed a scarlet red when she led the Queen up to the second floor, down the narrow hallway, and into her bedroom.

"I'm afraid this is the best we have to offer, Your Majesty," she mumbled shyly.

"It's perfect, Anna," the Queen replied without missing a beat. "It doesn't look like a spare room, though..."

That took Anna by surprise. "Well, uh, yeah... It's actually my room, but I'm not sleeping here. Tonight. Obviously, since you are. Your Majesty! If you want to, of course."

The Queen frowned slightly. "If I sleep in your room, then where do you sleep?"

"Don't worry about that! We've got everything covered!" Anna replied hastily, waving her hands around frantically.

The Queen seemed hesitant, but nodded after a short moment. "Very well. Thank you, Anna."

Anna, understanding that she was no longer needed, turned towards the door. Before closing it behind her, however, she turned back. "Uhm... Goodnight, Queen Elsa."

_You weren't supposed to call her that! What happened to 'Your Majesty'? You can't just go and call her by her name, you dimwit!_

"Goodnight, Anna," Elsa replied with a warm smile gracing her beautiful features.

Anna couldn't help but smile in return. The dopey grin hadn't disappeared yet when she came downstairs, where Kristoff and her father were cleaning the dishes.

"So, feisty-pants... Did you figure out where you're going to sleep yet?"

"Yup!" Anna chirped in reply, grabbing a sleeping bag from underneath the stairs. "I'm going to go camping!"

"You go to sleep now, ya? Kristoff and I will clean up. Rise early tomorrow! Seeing the Queen off, hm?"

"Of course, father," Anna smiled, waving as she made her way out of the door. It was a warm night, much to Anna's relief. After a while, she found a suitable spot to place her sleeping bag, and she started making herself comfortable, blissfully unaware of the pale blonde looking at her from the second-floor window while she slowly drifted asleep.

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**This story came to me pretty randomly, and I'm still working on the details of the overall plot (Oh my! There will be plot? Yes, there will be plot!... I think). I planned to write the entire story before posting anything, but I was sort of hoping to get some feedback. After all, if no one will be reading it, it's a bit of a shame to spend all my time on writing it, no matter how much I'd enjoy it.**

**So yes, please do let me know what you think of it so far. If you have ideas or suggestions, please do send them. If you know any good jokes, those are also welcome. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh my, oh my, oh my. So much praise and attention from y'all, it makes my heart beat a little too fast, I think. It also makes me very scared for letting you down with this chapter, or later ones... Then again, not updating would probably be worse, so here it is. I feel I need to get a few general things out there before I start addressing some of the reviews I got: at the moment, I'm not sure where this story is going to take me, and I do not have any advance chapters prepared. Hence, I'm not really capable of giving timeframes on my updates. If you feel I'm not fast enough, shoot me a PM and I'll see if I can remedy the situation. Now then, on to answering a few of my reviews:**

**Jahaira: Thank you for your kind words. I love how you predicted Elsa's reaction spot-on. As for Olaf, he will be in the story, but not for sometime longer. As for Hans... well, I have a somewhat different role for him in store than usual. :)**

** AlwaysThere4U: Thank you! I'm glad you like my other story as well. As for the "part of 1st 100 reviewers," I really doubt there'll be that many :p**

**t3l4m0n: Well, Hans is here! But like I said above, I have a different role in store for him than usual. Won't spoil anything though. As for the drama: I'm a louzy drama author (I think) but there will be a tiny little bit. Won't cover more than 1 or 2 chapters though, and will be quite light. Not much to worry about! :)**

**And in general I'd like to thank everyone who commented on me catching the essence of the characters quite well. It's one of the biggest compliments I can imagine, since they essentially make up the story. Basically, I just access two different parts of my mind when writing Elsa and Anna, since I recognise both the rambling dork and the stoic Ice Queen in myself from time to time.**

* * *

_Anna stood at the village square again, watching as the Queen stepped out of the carriage. She looked around the crowd with her icy blue eyes, seemingly taking in every single countenance before her. Eventually, after what felt like a century, their eyes locked, the Queen's widening slightly._

_Before Anna knew what happened, the Queen had waved her servants off and climbed down the stage. The crowd slowly parted in front of her with every slow step she took. With every stride the Queen came closer to Anna. Closer. Closer still. She felt her father and brother stepping away from her, a circle of intrigued citizens forming around her and the Queen. She's standing right in front of Anna now, but not slowing down._

_Before Anna could do anything consciously, she felt the Queen's cold fingers caressing her cheek, moving to her ear, and further to the back of her head, softly gripping her red hair. She felt the other hand snaking around her waist, pulling her closer to the royal beauty in front of her. There was barely enough time for Anna to catch a glimpse of blue eyes before their lips locked together, the Queen engaging in a sweet and passionate kiss._

_Anna didn't know what she had expected, but this was certainly not it. She'd never even thought about women like this. Her feelings were still a jumble, but she felt herself returning the kiss nonetheless. She couldn't help it... It just felt right_. _The Queen pulled back far too soon for her liking. As she looked at the woman in her arms, a bright light suddenly shone in her face. The Queen smiled ruefully, and Anna was about to ask what was wrong when everything suddenly faded._

Anna grumbled under her breath, keeping her eyes firmly closed in hopes of blocking the sunlight out. When she realized that didn't work, she slowly sat up, wondering for a moment why the sun was even shining in her face.

_Oh, right. Camping. The Queen... The Queen!_

The dream suddenly flooded her mind again, making her wonder what that was all about. She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks as she thought about it, not entirely sure what to think.

"Well, that was intense," she muttered to herself, rubbing her forehead.

"Pleasant dreams?" a voice suddenly rang from behind her. Anna immediately turned her head, causing her neck to make a cracking sound, which she ignored in favour of the Queen sitting on the grass next to her, an amused but decidedly non-royal smirk on her face.

"What? No! I mean, yes! Very, but- I- What? I mean, what are you doing here?" Anna's face turned into an even deeper shade of crimson, a feat she had thought impossible. "Your Majesty!" she added as an afterthought.

To her surprise, the Queen only presented her with a small smile, her royal air quickly returning to her. "Well, I couldn't very well leave without apologising for chasing you out of your room, could I? Really, you shouldn't have slept out here on my account."

"Nonsense! It was totally worth it for getting you in my bed. Wait, what? That came out wrong. I'm not as creepy as that sounded, really. But why would you believe me? All I've been doing is rambling and embarrassing myself, and-"

"Anna," the Queen interrupted. "I don't think you're a creep. And while I feel guilty about stealing your room like that, I am also very grateful. Me and my men will be leaving in half an hour. If you want to see us off with your father and brother, you should probably go and get ready."

Anna looked around, only now realising that guards and servants were running around the farm like ants, occasionally shooting an odd glance at her and the Queen, sitting in the middle of the field. She couldn't blame them, really.

Unlike her normal mornings, during which Anna needed at least an hour to look somewhat presentable, she managed to run through her morning routine in exactly half an hour, after which she and her family made their way to the square, where the royal carriage still stood waiting. Half the crowd that had been there yesterday had massed together again, wanting to see the Queen off.

She already stood on the makeshift stage, her royal aura lingering around her, but appearing approachable and human nonetheless. "Good citizens of Hellmark. It is time for me to move on, but not before thanking you for the kindness you have shown me and my men. Had it not been for you, our stay here would not have been possible. You gave us food and shelter, and for that you all have my thanks. Once I return to the capital, I will see to addressing the issues that some of you have raised with me yesterday. Hellmark is far from the capital, but I want you to know that if ever there is a need here, you need only send word to my palace. I left carrier pigeons at Oaken Farm to carry your messages."

The crowd, small as it was, cheered and applauded loudly, Anna supplying her own voice to the tumult as well. She'd never met the old king and queen, but she felt certain that they could not have been as good at their job as the current Queen was. _Nor half as beautiful_, her mind added, causing Anna to jump slightly at the memory of her dream.

The Queen disappeared into the golden carriage, and Anna watched with mixed feelings until the it disappeared from sight. The walk back to the farm was quiet, Anna deep in thought, analyzing and over-analyzing her dream. For some reason, her mind would not leave it alone, no matter how absurd it had been. _But hey, who cares! It was a good dream!_

Once they arrived home, Kristoff and Oaken immediately set to cleaning up the barn, even though the Queen's men had left it in a better state than they had found it in. Anna made her way to her room, intending to clean the mess the Queen might have left, as well as changing into some less formal clothes. The fancy green dress was really not suitable for working on the farm.

As soon as she entered her room, Anna noticed something different. It took her a moment to realise what was off exactly. As she sat down on the bed, which was meticulously made, it hit her. _Her scent_. It was strongest around the bed, but Anna could smell the vague scent of the Queen all around her room. _Pine trees, winter and mint_, she mused to herself. She stopped herself from opening the window. _Gah, like the air outside could be better than the air in here_. She turned to leave again, but stopped when she noticed something foreign on her desk.

There, in the middle of her desk, was a shiny silver hairbrush. It looked remarkably expensive, fitting for a Queen indeed. "She must have forgotten it," Anna muttered to herself. She picked it up delicately, placing it in her nearly empty drawer. _I'll keep it safe until I get a chance to return it_.

* * *

Anna sat at the table, staring at the remains of her dinner, waiting for her father to finish his. It had now been many weeks since the Queen's visit. Anna wasn't really certain how long it had been exactly, she had lost count after four weeks. Anna wasn't really good at keeping track of time. All she knew was that today marked the end of this year's farming season, and she had been busy all day because of it. Good busy, not bad busy, of course. She had visited every shop in the village to let them know Oaken Farm would not be providing anymore vegetables for a while, and collecting the money the shopkeepers still owed them. She had also taken a few minutes to watch a large group of carpenters renovating the old church – the Queen had kept her promise and sent them over shortly after leaving Hellmark. Afterwards, she had tended to the animals, something that needed to be done even in the off-season.

Oaken cleared his throat, the universal sign that she needed to pay attention. "Kristoff, when are you leaving?"

_Leaving? Oh, right, yeah! Kristoff always travels to the capital to renew the lease on the farmlands and all the other paperwork._

"I was planning to leave after dinner, if that's alright?" Kristoff grumbled. "Sven and the sleigh are ready."

Oaken nodded. "Have you packed, Anna?"

_Well, that seems a very logical question. After all, if Kristoff is going to- what?_

"Me? Packed? No why?"

"You're going with Kristoff, ya? We discussed this, hm?"

Anna pondered deeply. _Did we really? When?_

"Months ago," Oaken answered Anna's unasked question. Although, in hindsight, maybe she had asked it out loud. She couldn't tell for certain.

"Right. I'll get packed straight away. I'll be ready in a jiffy!"

True to her word, Anna jumped off from her chair, raced to her room, grabbed a bag, and started stuffing half the contents of her room in it. _How long will the trip even be? Never mind, no time to ask! Just... Just pack everything you can fit!_

Despite her hurry, she remembered placing the ornate silver hairbrush in her bag, the thought of delivering it to the castle passing through her mind fleetingly. Within minutes, she was back in the living room, Kristoff and her father looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"Done!"

"Done?"

"Done!"

"Okay... good. Just put your bag in the sleigh, and we'll leave..."

Sitting in the sleigh, Anna could hardly have been more enthusiastic. She'd never left her village before. She was finally going to see the world! Or, well, at least see the kingdom. A part of it. For the first half hour, she chattered on and on, Kristoff answering all her questions with a glint of amusement in his eyes. As soon as it started to get darker, though, Anna felt her energy flow away from her, slumping into the sleigh's seat.

"It's okay, Anna. You can go to sleep. By the time you wake up, we should be close to the capital."

Anna wanted to murmur something in response, but failed utterly when she opened her mouth and was unable to hold back a very unladylike yawn. "Mmkay."

* * *

By the time she opened her eyes, the sun was already starting to rise again, and Kristoff was snoring next to her. _Yet another way in which he chases all the wildlife away. It's a wonder I slept through that..._ She noticed how Sven seemed to know the way on his own, needing no guidance from his master to pull the sleigh in the right direction.

They were coming down a hill, and down in the distance, Anna could see the city. It _had_ to be the capital. No other city could possibly be that large. Or have such a magnificent castle. Or all those ships in the harbour.

She woke Kristoff up when they drew nearer to the city, and soon enough they were entering it. Anna's head whipped from left to right, wishing she had an extra pair of eyes to take her new surroundings in. Since she lacked those, however, she satisfied herself with her head turning continuously. She eyed the merchants, trying to sell their wares to every passing body. She stared at the guards, walking around in shining armour, their faces stern. She listened to the seagulls as they drifted above the massive ships bobbing in the water.

Eventually, Sven stopped, and Anna noticed they were parked in front of a small, shoddy inn. Kristoff told her to stay put until he returned, which only took him a few minutes.

"We'll be sleeping in the barn tonight. Hopefully, our business here will be finished tomorrow, so we can go back to the normal world."

"But it's beautiful here!"

"It's madness," Kristoff grumbled, "and I won't stay here any longer than necessary."

After parking the sleigh and making sure Sven was comfortable, Anna accompanied Kristoff to a large building, a sign outside reading 'Town Hall.' Kristoff had explained this was where Arendelle's officials were available, and they would have no trouble getting their documents in order. As soon as they walked up to the desk, Anna trailing behind her big brother, Kristoff tensed up.

"Excuse me, where is Lord Clemington? I need to renew our lease and license for Oaken Farm."

"Clemington retired," a grumpy, old man answered. Anna didn't like the look of him. He sat behind his desk with an air of superiority, wearing rich purple robes and rings on all his fingers. He also wore a decorative necklace and a purple hat covering his long, grey hair. "You'll be dealing with me. So, Oaken Farm?"

Kristoff nodded. "Lord Clemington wasn't that old, though, was he? Why did _you_ get this position?"

The man looked up, clearly peeved. "No need to address me in such a way, _boy_. I'm Lord Orthal. You'll be dealing with me, or not at all."

"Oh really, Mr. Orthal? Just... just renew the documents, sign them, stamp them, and we'll be on our way again."

Lord Orthal narrowed his eyes, glaring down at them. He then turned his attention to the documents, a creepy smile forming on his lips. "I don't think I will be doing that. You're family has held these lands long enough. Maybe it is time for someone else to take it over. _Your request will be denied_."

Kristoff's jaw fell slack, Anna merely looking from one to the other. "What does that mean?"

The nobleman grinned at her. "You'll be evicted from your farm. Your home. Someone else will continue working your land. Or maybe the government will decide to build a factory in its stead."

"No! You can't do that!"

"I just did, girl."

Kristoff had to drag her back to their barn, keeping Anna from hitting anyone in the face in her anger. Once they had settled on the bales of hay that would form their home for the night, Anna finally settled down. "So, what now?"

"We let Sven rest a while, go back to Hellmark, and tell dad the news," Kristoff sighed.

"There must be something we can do!" Anna almost whined.

"Only a noble of higher rank can top Orthal's orders," Kristoff mumbled. He didn't notice the change in his little sister's countenance.

"Kristoff!"

"Yeah?"

"How long does Sven need to rest?"

"At least until tonight. He's been walking all night."

Anna grabbed her bag, swinging it over her shoulder. "I'll be right back. Just... exploring."

"Sure, but don't get-" Anna was already gone, Kristoff's words lost to the sleeping reindeer. She had just thought up something. Something crazy, that would never work. But she had to at least try, right? She couldn't very well let some snobbish old man kick them out of her home.

* * *

Elsa sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to block out the sound of the bickering advisers. They had been here for over an hour, discussing trivial affairs that she really didn't care about. The little things weren't meant for the Queen. That's what she had councils and advisers for, right? _Right._

"That's enough," she spoke. Her voice hadn't been raised, but it was full of authority nonetheless, and accompanied by the sudden drop in temperature, it was more than enough to silence everyone. "Surely I won't need to replace you all with children from the orphanage, right? Stop bickering and act like the grown men you are. Now, since we don't seem to be getting anywhere with this bickering over taxes, I suggest we move on and cover this issue next week."

"Of course, Your Majesty," the eldest of the men answered humbly. "The next point on the schedule is the evaluation of your public campaign."

"Very well," Elsa sighed. "Since the goal was for the entire country to see my face, I think it was a success."

"It certainly was, Your Majesty. We're hearing positive sounds from across the kingdom. Everyone is impressed and pleased with your actions. There's just the issue of the expenses..."

"Explain?"

"You've ordered repairs on nearly thirty structures, the founding of three new orphanages, commissioned five new ships to be made and sent to the fishing villages... It's costing a large amount of gold, Your Majesty."

"What would you have had me do? Promise them to help out, and then turn them away when they explain their issues?"

"No- Of course not, You-" Elsa's attention was caught by her head servant, Kai, who walked up to her side and moved his mouth close to her ear.

"There's someone calling for you at the front gate."

_Front gate? None of the noble visitors would be calling for me there. They would be allowed inside, shown a room, and then I'd meet them during the morning proceedings. Why would someone be at the front gate? _

She cleared her throat, looking up at the men in front of her. "We're done for today, gentlemen. I'll hear no more of this expense nonsense. If need be I'll repay the Crown from my personal vault. The citizens needed my help, and I wouldn't be a good Queen if I didn't help. Now, you can leave."

The men immediately got up, gathering their papers, bowed and left the room. Elsa also stood, motioning for Kai to lead the way. Not that she didn't know the way, of course. They walked for several minutes, and Elsa was just about to ask if he knew who was at the gate, when a loud voice rang through the hallway.

"But I _need _to see her! I have something of hers, and I need to return it. I must see the Queen!"

_That voice. I recognise that voice... _

Elsa tried her best to remember, but failed utterly, until she actually turned the corner, watching a fiery redhead waving a hairbrush in the face of one of her guards.

"And why would a little farmer girl like you have the Queen's hairbrush? It's probably just a silly worthless trinket."

Elsa wasn't sure what happened, but the guards comments, and his mocking tone, worked like a red cloth on a bull. Her voice was sharp and clear when she spoke up.

"Actually, that is my favourite hairbrush. I forgot it when I stayed at Oaken Farm in Hellmark."

The guard pivoted, shock plastered on his face, before kneeling down on a knee.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

Elsa merely nodded. "Ms. Oaken, follow me please," she continued, her voice softer and kinder now. Anna looked utterly flabbergasted, despite the fact that she had actually been asking for her.

Anna followed her meekly, and Elsa led them to a small room on the first floor, a small table in the alcove near the window being the only furniture. "Kai, please bring us tea."

"Right away."

They sat down at the table, and Elsa noticed how Anna had decided not to look at her at all, opting to stare out of the window. Within minutes, a platter with tea and biscuits was placed in between them, and Elsa waved the servants out of the room.

"So..." she started. "I had intended for that hairbrush to be a gift. You know, for chasing you out of your room."

Anna finally turned towards her, flustered red and fidgeting with one of the napkins. "I didn't mind! I liked being chased out- you didn't chase me, literally, of course- But I liked it. My room smelled of you for weeks!" She immediately clamped her hands in front of her mouth, groaning loudly and looking away again.

Elsa decided not to make matters worse for the girl, realising she found herself in an alien environment, speaking to someone she'd probably never imagined even meeting.

"Would you like tea, Ms. Oaken?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Anna mumbled in reply. "And call me Anna, please."

"As you wish, Anna. Here you go."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"You don't have to repeat 'Your Majesty' after every sentence. I don't need reminding that I'm the Queen," Elsa replied, keeping her voice light.

Anna merely nodded.

"So, tell me... Did you really come all this way from Hellmark to return my hairbrush?"

"No..."

Elsa merely cocked an eyebrow, waiting for Anna's elaboration.

"I'm sorry, this is silly. I shouldn't have come here. I don't know what I was thinking. I probably wasn't. It happens to me sometimes. Oftentimes. Never mind. Thanks for the tea, Your Majesty. I'll just- I'll just go now."

Anna already got up and was halfway across the room before Elsa managed to catch her wrist, causing the redhead to turn around frantically. Elsa immediately let go. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- If something's wrong, you can tell me. Maybe I can help?"

Anna looked like she could start crying any moment, so Elsa guided her back to her seat, sitting down opposite her again, waiting for the girl to start talking.

"He- he... He said we'd be sent away from the farm... Our home... We have nowhere to go if we can't-"

"Easy now, Anna. Who said this?"

"Lord Orthal..."

Elsa frowned. The name did not sound familiar, and she made it a point to know all the Lords and Ladies in the capital. "Do you know why?"

"Kristoff said something about Lord Clemington being gone, and they started arguing, and now we'll lose the farm. And I was thinking, a higher noble can reverse the order. And a Queen trumps a Lord, so I came here, but they wouldn't let me in, so I showed them the brush, but they still didn't believe me and then you showed up and took me here and offered me tea and told me the brush was a gift and now I'm just sitting here trying to keep from crying like a baby because you're the Queen and I'm just me and I shouldn't have come here."

Elsa sighed, before smiling softly and reaching for Anna's hand. "Anna... there's no such thing as 'just me.' I may be the Queen, but that doesn't mean I'm better than anyone else. Now, go clean yourself up, we'll finish our tea, and then we'll go to Town Hall and see what we can do about this situation, okay?"

They enjoyed their tea in a comfortable silence, after which they made their way to Town Hall. People on the streets often turned around after passing them, for even they did not see their Queen walking around this freely very often.

Anna walked up to Lord Orthal, clearing her throat to catch his attention. "You again? Get lost, kid. There's nothing you can do to change your mind. You and that troll of a brother of yours will need to vacate the property before farming season starts again."

"Maybe _I_ can do something to change your mind," a cold voice came from a little farther away.

"I really doubt that, Miss," Orthal replied without looking up.

"Really?"

The grumpy lord reluctantly tore his gaze away from his paper, noticed the Queen, now standing besides Anna, and promptly fell from his chair in an attempt to get up and bow. "Your Majesty. I didn't know you were scheduled to come in today. I'm so terribly sorry. Really, there's no need to bother yourself with nuisances like this girl. I've got everything covered."

"Ms. Oaken and her family are rather dear to me, sir," Elsa glowered. "I'd appreciate it if you showed them some respect. Now, I had a chance to stay at Oaken Farm during my time in Hellmark, and the village is very dependent on it. I want you to ensure that all papers are in order and sent to the castle. I will sign them myself."

"Of course, Your Majesty. I will see to it first thing tomorrow."

"No. You will see to it right now. I expect the papers on my desk before nightfall. If you're not capable of performing such a menial task in such a lofty time frame, we will need to reconsider your position here."

The man bowed deeply, knowing he wouldn't be able to win this battle even if he had the guts to try. He made sure not to voice any discontent as the Queen and the annoying little brat left Town Hall, all his colleagues looking at them in awe.

As soon as they stood outside, Anna jumped up, throwing her arms into the air, and doing a little dance on the spot. Before she knew what happened, Anna had turned around and wrapped her arms closely around Elsa, engaging in a strong hug. Before Elsa had a chance to recover and maybe even reciprocate, Anna let go of her again and took two large steps backwards. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have done that. Not that I regret it, because I don't, but maybe I should? I don't know..."

Elsa raised her hands to mask a small laugh, noticing how Anna's blush grew a tenfold when she finally gathered enough courage to look up at her again. "That's alright, Anna. I think we should go and tell your brother about the... recent changes, no?"

"Yes!" Anna shouted, causing several people on the streets to look around at her. "This way, please," Anna mumbled, completely embarrassed now. Elsa took her arm, not really caring what the people on the streets would think. _I may be the Queen, but I deserve to be myself every now and again, right? Right. Totally right._

To her surprise, Anna led them past a small inn, one of questionable reputation, Elsa recalled, and towards the barn behind it. "In here!" the girl squealed excitedly, before running inside. "Kristoff! I did it. We'll get the papers signed!"

Elsa watched the sleeping reindeer, and the boy splayed out over the hay next to him as he scrambled up. "What? Anna, how? Where were you anyway?"

"I had some help!"

Only then did the boy seem to notice her, standing near the entrance of the barn still. For a moment, his face was completely blank, before the realization that he was staring at the Queen sank in, and his face turned to utter shock. "Your Majesty!"

Elsa merely nodded in reply, trying hard not to laugh at the stressful reaction, the boy now standing with his entire body held stiff, a deep bow being the only exception to that.

"Anna, where do you find the Queen?"

"Well, at the castle, of course."

"What?! You went to the castle, and bothered the Queen for this!?"

"And we had tea," Elsa added with a decidedly non-royal smirk.

"You had- Of course... You had tea. Anna, I let you out of my sight for half an hour, and you... you... Ach! Never mind."

Elsa shook her head in mirth. "Do not worry, Mr. Oaken. I am glad I had a chance to repay your sister for her hospitality some weeks back. There was no need for her to sleep outside so I could sleep in a bed. Speaking of which..." She gestured at her surroundings.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty," Kristoff smiled. "Hay makes an incredibly soft bed.

"Oh, no," Elsa shook her head, slowly but decidedly. "Absolutely not. You're not sleeping here tonight. No way. Gather your stuff, you'll be staying at the castle tonight."

Anna and Kristoff both looked at her as if she had said something completely ridiculous. Maybe she had, she wasn't sure. But she _was_ sure that Anna would _not_ be sleeping in a barn.

"We... we already paid for this," Anna mumbled quietly, hardly loud enough for Elsa to catch it.

"You... You _paid_ for this?" Elsa could hardly believe it. She sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. "Go ahead and make your way to the castle, you'll find a guard outside who will make sure you're allowed in. I'll talk to the innkeeper."

The guard in question smiled congenially. "Please make sure Kai prepares two of the guest rooms for tonight. And sees to all their needs. I'll be dining with them tonight, so make sure Kai cancels any other appointments."

The guard merely nodded, his surprise only visible in his eyes. For a moment, Elsa thought whether this was the right thing to do. _But I'll be damned if I let them stay here tonight. Now, to deal with that innkeeper..._

* * *

Anna was in awe. Completely and utterly so. And judging by his face, Kristoff was not doing much better. The guard had led them back to the palace, spoken with a young man for a moment, and then asked them to wait. Within minutes, they were introduced to the stable master, who assured them he would make sure Sven would get everything a reindeer could possibly wish for. Then they were led inside, and upstairs. The portly servant she had seen before had brought them to two adjoining rooms, one for Kristoff, and one for herself.

And that's where she was now. The room was almost the size of their entire home. The walls were painted in delicate greens, complemented by the soft yellow curtains hanging by the window. The bed - a large, large, bed - seemed fit for the Queen herself, and Anna was wondering whether she would not get lost in it. Before she had time to think that over any further, however, she was torn from her thoughts by gentle knocking on the door.

Anna waited, but no one entered. Only then did she realise they were probably waiting for her to reply. "Come in," she tried to call, but it came from her mouth considerably softer than planned. _Way to be cool about this, Anna. Really._

An older woman opened the door and walked into the room, carrying a large bag. "Good afternoon, Ms. Oaken. My name is Gerda, I'm the head of household here. Tonight, however, I have the honour of being your aid. The Queen has requested you for dinner in an hour and a half." Anna nodded in reply, not capable of doing anything else. She still stood in the middle of her room when the woman walked through one of the doors, shortly after which the sound of running water resounded through the room.

After a few minutes, the woman returned, a motherly smile on her face. "I prepared a bath for you, Ms. Oaken. Please take as long as you need. I have placed a towel and a robe on the shelf. I would help you undress, but I think that might only serve to make you uncomfortable, so I will busy myself with making the bed. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call out."

Anna was thoroughly impressed by her bathroom. The bathtub itself looked like it could house three bodies without there being any need to touch one another. She quickly took off her dress, the one she had dubbed her potato-sack dress, unfortunately, and lowered herself into the hot water. She reveled in the feeling of the water, feeling the dirt come loose from her body. _I can't believe I went to see the Queen while being so dirty? What was I thinking? I even hugged her! She must be totally grossed out._

After nearly half an hour, she got up from the bath, toweled herself down while contemplating on the impossible softness of the towel, and put on the provided robe, also unspeakably soft. When she walked back into her room, she found Gerda sitting on the vanity chair. "Enjoyed your bath, Ms. Oaken?"

"Yes, thank you," Anna replied shyly.

"Majestic. Now, shall we get you ready for dinner?"

Anna nodded and turned around. "I'll just have to put my dress back on and I'll be good."

"No, no. The Queen will have none of that, Ms. Oaken. She has provided a new dress for you."

"She has?" Anna could hardly believe her ears.

Gerda walked over to the bag she had brought with her, producing a beautiful dress from it. It was a beautiful dark shade of green, and like the dress she had worn when she first saw the Queen, it had a black bodice. That, however, was as far as the comparison could be taken. It was made out of an incredibly soft and rich fabric Anna wasn't able to name, and it seemed to shimmer when light passed over it. The black bodice was covered with golden floral patterns, and left her shoulders bare.

Gerda helped her getting dressed, and Anna hardly recognised herself when she looked in the mirror. She couldn't help the cheeky grin that spread across her face.

"I'm glad you like it," Gerda smiled from behind her. "The Queen picked it out herself."

That little bit of information was enough for Anna's head to start swimming, and for a moment she thought she saw a glimpse of... _something_, in Gerda's eyes. _Don't be silly. You don't even know the woman,_ she chastised herself.

"Now, Ms. Oaken, shall I do your hair?"

Anna mutely took her place in front of the vanity, overwhelmed by all the attention paid to her. Gerda took her spot behind her, and started pulling a brush through her hair. It took Anna only a few seconds to notice it was the silver hairbrush the Queen had left in her room.

"That's the Queen's hairbrush!" she yelped.

"You're quite mistaken, dear," Gerda smiled. "Her Majesty assured me it was yours the moment she left it behind. You should feel honoured, she always refused using any other brush until her return from the trip."

Anna blushed an even deeper shade of red, but Gerda graciously ignored it. "Now, shall we put your hair up, or leave it down..." she muttered, seemingly without expecting an answer. She experimented a little with Anna's hair before making a decision. "Yes, down would be best. That should do the trick perfectly," she grinned.

"_Do the trick?_ Am I expected to do something?"

"Oh, no! Of course not, dear. Don't you worry about an old woman muttering to herself."

Anna nodded as Gerda started to smear something in her hair. Within minutes, her untameable mane had been transformed into a curtain of beautiful, soft hair, curling slightly and falling over her shoulders. "There you go, dear. Now, your brother should be waiting. My husband and I shall escort the two of you to the dining hall."

"Husband?"

"Yes. My husband is the head servant here. You may have met him."

Anna nodded mutely as she was led out of her room. Simultaneously, Kristoff and Kai exited the other room. Anna smiled at the sight of her brother. His usual rags had been replaced by dark blue pants and a white shirt, covered mostly by a matching jacket. His usually wild hair had been tamed, much like Anna's.

Kristoff turned to her, and his eyes widened at the sight of his little sister. "Wow. I mean. Wow. Anna... You look... You're beautiful!" Anna blushed slightly as the head servant nodded in agreement. "You look quite dashing yourself, Kristoff," she smiled. The walk to the dining hall was short and silent, neither of them knowing what to expect from the entire affair.

The dining hall was a large as everything in this room, and the Queen sat at the far end of the table, looking at a stack of papers in her hand. When Kai announced them, she looked up, and Anna could've sworn she saw a blush creeping across her usually pale face. Her mouth was slightly open, as if she had trouble forming her words, Anna thought. _Damn it, mind! Stop that madness. You're totally misinterpreting everything. Every time I'm around the Queen. _

Kai and Gerda pulled out two chairs for the two of them, and they sat down silently. Gerda looked at the large clock on the wall. "Dinner will be served in five minutes," she smiled as Kai took the papers away from the Queen.

It was silent for a moment, before Kristoff started talking. "I- We'd just like to thank you for everything, Your Majesty," he muttered, his eyes fixed on his empty plate.

The Queen smiled and handed him a little pouch. "It's the least I could do. This should be enough to recompense you for the inn." Kristoff nodded and put the pouch away. "You both look very... good," the Queen added softly.

Anna immediately piped up, speaking before her brother got a chance. "Thank you! I totally adore this dress. I have a similar one at home."

"I know," the Queen smirked, throwing Anna off her trail.

"But it's nothing like this one. And it's so soft and fits so well, it's amazing!" she quickly continued.

"I'm glad you like it," the Queen smiled. "I expect you to take it with you. The same goes for you, of course, Mr. Oaken."

"Oh no no no! We couldn't! This dress costs more than my entire wardrobe together!" Anna immediately replied.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist," the Queen overruled, using her regal tone to ensure Anna wouldn't make a fuss again.

"Well, thank you, then."

Just then the servants entered, carrying a dozen silver plates and spreading them out over the table. Anna's mouth started to water as the smells from the delicious food drifted into her nose, and she decided to take a little bit of everything. Once her plate was filled, she stared down at the vast array of silverware. _Etiquette. Right. Which spoon and which fork do I use? _

Apparently, the Queen felt her distress. "Just use whichever feels right for you. I won't scold you for using the wrong utensils," she smiled, immediately reassuring Anna and her brother. Dinner was mostly silent, but it wasn't an awkward silence. Everyone was just busy eating. After some time, the servants took the plates away again, and announced the dessert would be out momentarily.

Just then the doors to the dining hall opened, and a young man walked in. Anna looked at him, immediately finding him rather handsome, like some kind of prince. He had majestic red hair, a pearly white smile, and was dressed in a formal uniform. His sideburns were a little excessive to her taste, but still...

"Elsa! I've been looking everywhere for you!" he beamed.

The Queen looked up, half annoyed and half amused. "And why exactly is the dining hall the last place you look for me, despite the fact that it is dinner time?"

"Well, can't blame me for that. You hardly ever eat here unless you have guests. Oh, hello. You have guests."

"Yes. Kristoff and Anna Oaken. I told you about their farm in Hellmark?"

"Right, right. So this is the girl that-"

"Anna, Kristoff, this is Hans. He is a Prince of the Southern Isles, and he has been a ward of my parents since he was six. We grew up together, and after my parents' accident, he decided he'd rather stay here than return to a land he could hardly remember."

Hans smiled at both of them. _A prince. Well, that explains a lot_, Anna thought. _Still, he can't hold a candle to Elsa. Wait... Are you... Am I... Oh dear... And since when do I call her Elsa? Careful there, Missy. Don't want to be thrown in the dungeons for disrespecting the Queen._

Hans looked at Anna's dress. "Elsa, isn't this the dress you had made when you returned from your campaign?"

The Queen coughed softly. "As a matter of fact, it is."

"And it's a perfect fit, isn't it?"

Anna merely nodded.

Hans' grin widened. "Well, isn't that... _convenient_."

The servants entered, carrying several different cakes, and Prince Hans quickly excused himself. Anna hardly noticed, her eyes transfixed on the largest and yummiest-looking chocolate cake she'd ever seen. She was too busy eating her dessert to realise how quiet it was across the room. Kristoff didn't seem to notice it either, but once she'd finished eating, she realised the Queen hadn't said a word since Prince Hans had left.

"Your Majesty," Anna started hesitantly, seeing the Queen fidget with a napkin. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all." The reply was short, almost evasive. _No, that's just your mind making things up again._

"Did we do something wrong? We're not really knowledgeable about etiquette and stuff. Maybe we made a poor impression on the Prince? Well, of course we made a poor impression. We're just lowly commoners. Why would you even be dining with us? Ha, the thought on itself- Never mind, I didn't mean to imply you did something wrong, but I just... Yeah, I think I'm going to stop talking now. Sorry."

The Queen's spirit seemed a little lifted. "Don't worry, Ms. Oaken. Everything is quite fine. I was just lost in thought for a moment. Now, if you're both done, Kai and Gerda will escort you back to your rooms. I'll see to it the paperwork for your lease is taken care off. Good night."

And just like that she got up and left. Gerda helped Anna get ready for bed, and she immediately felt fatigue washing over her. Her muddled mind tried to salvage some of the events of the night. _Prince Hans was charming, but Queen Elsa's the real deal. Never knew I could feel... this... for a girl. And the dress... she commissioned it herself, and then just gave it to me... What did Hans say again?... Oh yeah... perfect fit... Odd..._

She didn't get much of a chance to continue that line of thought, however. The last thing she noticed before falling asleep was the falling of snowflakes outside her window, which, for some reason, made her think of the Queen. Of _Elsa_.


	3. Chapter 3

Taxes. When the council was arguing, you could safely assume it was about taxes. It was the case ninety percent of the time, and this morning was no different. They had gathered at eight in the morning for a short meeting. Or so Elsa had assumed. After all, there were only two points on the agenda, and it really didn't have to take a long as it was now. It was nearing ten o'clock.

Elsa had her elbows resting on the mahogany table, her head resting on her hands. Anyone looking at her would see an interested but quiet listener. Only those that actually knew Elsa would recognize the glassy look in her eyes. Truthfully, she was only listening with half an ear. After all, it was just a discussion on taxes. Nothing the council couldn't handle without her. And her mind was too preoccupied with the dinner last night.

Elsa was certain of two things. The first being that it had been a disaster. Then again, who could blame her? Her mind had shut itself down the moment Anna walked through that door. The dress was perfect. Her hair was loose, cascading down to her shoulders. She looked like a veritable princess. More so than Elsa herself, she thought. She had half a mind to reprimand Gerda for being too good at her job. She wouldn't, of course. That'd be silly. But she was tempted. She could have handled Anna in her regular dress, with her hair in the regular twin braids. She had been wholly unprepared for Gerda's handiwork. In fact, she wasn't even sure how the woman knew about the dress...

But it didn't matter. After all, the second thing she was certain of was the fact that she'd probably never see Anna again. By now, she and her brother would be on their way back to Hellmark. The idea filled Elsa with both relief and sadness. She really didn't have her head on straight when it came to this girl. She'd been thinking about her – more than would be deemed reasonable – since she left Hellmark. For some odd reason, she had even commissioned a dress in her sizes, reminiscent of the one she had worn when Elsa had seen her. _I never really expected her to wear it, though_. _I never even expected to see her again. _

The councilmen had finally reached an agreement, and they all fell silent again. Elsa sat up straight, calling herself back to attention.

"Good, now that we have that out of the way, I'd like to propose an innovation to our way of governing the kingdom," she started, ignoring the furtive glances the noblemen were shooting at each other. "Currently, the kingdom is ruled solely from the capital. But we're incredibly out of touch with most of the communities of Arendelle. Basically, I propose that we form a new council, consisting of one member from every village and city, which we can call for a gathering when we need to decide something that is of importance for the entire kingdom."

"Your Majesty, all due respect, but all the major cities have a mayor..."

"I am well aware of that. But none of the villages have any input in our process of decision-making. And the only thing that mayors can do is petition the annulment of a decision after it has already been made."

"But, Your Majesty, your proposal would make the entire process incredibly slow."

One of the other councilman responded before Elsa could. She recognized the man as an old friend of her father. "I think the Queen is right. The people have the right to be involved, and speed is not an issue for most decisions. For those rare few decisions that do need to be made urgently, we can make an exception."

The council debated for a while longer, but eventually the majority seemed in favour of Elsa's plans. "I'm glad we are in agreement. We'll send out riders to all the cities and villages, informing them of this development. If we work quickly, we can have elections – yes, elections – in every community within two months. The capital city is the only exception. I will take my place on the new council as representative, and my heir after me, agreed?"

All the men nodded. Elsa smiled as she looked at the clock. _Not even noon yet, it's a miracle._ She was just about to end the meeting when one of the men cleared his throat.

"Your Majesty, one more thing..."

Elsa merely nodded, trying not to show her annoyance.

"While we are on the subject of your _heir_, we feel the need to discuss potential suitors. After all, as the Queen, it is your responsibility to-"

Elsa raised her hand, immediately silencing the man.

"Arendelle is flourishing, yes?"

A nod from the council.

"The people are content with me as their Queen, are they not?"

Another nod.

"Then I would say there is no urgent need for me to marry, correct?"

"Your Majesty, not to be disrespectful, but marriage is necessary for allies and trade-"

The room got eerily chilly all of a sudden, and the councilmen immediately linked it to the furrowing of their Queen's eyebrows and the darkening of her eyes.

"Correct me if I'm mistaken, councilman, but last time I checked, we were allies with Corona, DunBroch, France, and several other powerful nations. Right?"

A weak nod from the councilman in question was the only given reply.

"And unless things have changed drastically overnight, we have very profitable trade agreements with our allies and surrounding kingdoms. Have things changed drastically overnight?"

A hesitant shake of their heads.

"Then, please, do explain why it is necessary for me to _sell_ myself to the noble family of another kingdom?" The acid in her voice must have been obvious, since all the men in the room shirked back slightly.

"Your Majesty, tradition dictates that-"

Elsa wanted to interrupt him, but a cynical laugh from behind her did so first. Once the short laugh ceased, Hans' familiar voice echoed through the hall. "Tradition... You really don't want to go there, councilman," he said, still chuckling. "I think the Queen has made it clear that she is not interested in a suitor at this point in time. Now, you'll have to excuse me for stealing her away from this meeting. The Queen and I have guests to attend to."

Elsa nodded to the councilmen, giving them permission to leave. "We'll continue our discussion another time, gentlemen," she muttered absentmindedly. Once they were alone, she turned towards Hans.

"Thanks for that," she muttered dryly.

"You're welcome. After all, we both know you're not interested in a husband."

Elsa narrowed her eyes slightly. "So, Weselton or the Emerald Isles?"

Hans didn't seem fazed by the sudden change in subject. He kept his smile firmly in place as he raised his eyebrows. "What are we talking about now?"

"The guests? Is it the Duke of Weselton or the delegation from the Emerald Isles?"

She hadn't thought it possible, but Hans' smile widened even further, causing his expression to border on manic. "Neither of them will be here before next week, I think? No, no. Ms. Oaken has asked to spend the afternoon with you."

"Anna? Weren't they supposed to leave earlier this morning?"

"Well..."

"Hans... what did you do?"

Hans' look turned into one of mock apology. "I'm going riding with a few friends, and I might accidentally have asked young Mr. Oaken along. They've decided to return to Hellmark this evening, instead. And, as I said, Ms. Oaken has requested your company to pass the time."

Elsa brought her hand to her face, groaning slightly.

"Something wrong, sister?"

"How often do I have to tell you that I'm not actually your sister?" she deflected.

"Close enough," Hans waved her question away. "But you didn't answer me."

"No, everything is _just _fine. Leave it to you to go and muck up my _only_ free afternoon..." She wasn't really angry – and Hans knew it. This was just the way most of their conversations went down.

"I'm sure you and Ms. Oaken will get along swimmingly," Hans smiled, before turning on his heels and walking off.

_That's exactly the point..._

* * *

Anna was sitting in her room. She had slept well into the morning – a hard habit to break, especially when facilitated by the softest bed _ever_ – and had been preparing to leave when Kristoff had come by to ask whether she was alright with staying until the afternoon. Apparently, he was going out riding with Prince Hans, although she had no idea how that suddenly came to be.

Mere minutes later, Gerda had come by her room and let her know that the Queen had requested her to spend the afternoon together. Anna wouldn't have been able to refuse the offer even if she wanted to, and Gerda had helped her prepare. She wore the same dress as yesterday – a miracle it didn't sport any food stains – and Gerda had been very insistent on Anna keeping her hair down again.

She sat staring out of the window, waiting for the Queen's meeting to end, and used her time to go over last night's dinner. There were a few things that seemed a little _off_.

_She left incredibly suddenly after Hans – pardon, Prince Hans – had made his appearance. She assured us we didn't do anything wrong, but what else could have caused her to act so... well... odd. What were she and the Prince talking about again?_

Anna tried her very best to remember, but her mind wouldn't cooperate. As far as she could recall, they had only engaged in some banal chatter. But then again, she wasn't familiar with royalty. Maybe there had been some kind of hidden meaning somewhere that she just didn't pick up on.

She was momentarily distracted by a sound in the courtyard below her window, and she stared with amazement as a small army of riders in the royal colours thundered out of the gates. _I wonder what that's all about._ She didn't get much time to think about, as she was distracted – again – by three short knocks on her door.

"Um. Yes? I mean – Yes, come in!"

The door opened to reveal the Queen, wearing a different but similar blue dress, this one also sparkling as the light hit it. She slowly walked into the room.

"Ms. Oaken," she nodded. "You had asked to spend the afternoon with me?"

Anna's brow furrowed in confusion. "No I didn't. Oh, gosh, I didn't mean it to sound like that. I would have asked – but you're the Queen, and – Well... I just assumed you'd be busy... And I didn't even know we'd be here today because we were supposed to go home earlier but Kristoff... Well, never mind that... I was told you had requested my presence..."

The Queen seemed taken aback by Anna's final statement, her eyes darkening somewhat, before she mustered up a small smile. "Well, I suppose it's all just a big misunderstanding. Prince Hans... isn't really known for his eloquence. Or thinking in advance..."

Anna couldn't resist a giggle.

"Or thinking at all, for that matter," the Queen muttered silently, more to herself than to Anna. "But since we're both here, and you won't be able to return home until your brother has returned, we might as well make the best of it. Don't you agree?"

_Yes! Yes! Oh, god yes!_

"Umm, sure..." Anna replied shyly.

The Queen presented one of her polite, somewhat distant smiles. "Very well. Have you had lunch yet?"

Anna shook her head, following the Queen as she motioned. In the hallway, they found Gerda waiting. "Gerda, please make sure there's lunch for two in the library in half an hour."

Gerda nodded with an enthusiastic smile. "Of course, Your Majesty. Anything specific?"

The Queen turned to Anna. "Ms. Oaken, any preferences?"

"Chocolate." _Oh god, they must think I'm a child. I didn't mean to say that out loud..._

"Anything chocolaty would be fine, Gerda," the Queen smiled. "I'm taking Ms. Oaken for a walk in the gardens first."

The servant smiled again and nodded, before scurrying off – Anna assumed towards the kitchens – to see to the preparations. "If that's alright with you, of course?"

Anna whipped her head back to the Queen. "What? Shit! No... Fu- I mean. What were you saying, Your Majesty?" God, could she mess this up any worse than this? _Of course you can,_ Anna thought to herself bitterly. _It's your greatest talent._

"A walk in the gardens... I was asking whether that was alright with you."

"Oh, yes, of course!"

They walked through the corridors in silence for a few minutes, Anna always making sure to remain behind the Queen ever so slightly. She stopped before a large double door, flanked by two guards. "Ms. Oaken, you're allowed to walk beside me, you know."

Anna blinked a few times. "I- I am?"

"You are," the Queen smirked. _The Queen smirks. Queens smirk? _"Okay..."

The Queen nodded to the two guardsmen, who reached out and opened the large door. A chilly gust blew into the hallway to greet them, and Anna followed the Queen outside. The doors were immediately closed after them, and Anna took care to stand exactly next to the Queen this time. "Anna."

"What?"

"Please, call me Anna. Not Ms. Oaken."

The Queen smiled – not the usual distant and polite smile, but a more sincere, radiant smile. "Of course."

They took a few more steps into the garden, and Anna finally took the time to take in her surroundings. Despite the time of year, it was still green, and several flowers were still blooming. Anna reached out to a beautiful yellow flower , popping up from a thin layer of snow.

"It's so pretty..."

"It is," the Queen replied. "The groundskeeper makes sure that there are always flowers here, any time of the year."

"Snow's early this year, is it not, Your Majesty?" Anna asked, realizing it was only early autumn. Normally, snow wouldn't fall for at least two months.

"Really, Anna, there's no need to be so formal. You can call me Elsa, just for today," the Queen sighed. "As for the snow... yes, I suppose it is..."

_Call her Elsa? Just like that? Why would I do that?_

"Because being called 'Your Majesty' all the time is really tiring. And it doesn't really allow one to make friends."

"Oh dear, did I think out loud again? I thought out loud again. Sorry, bad habit. I'll just call you Elsa then, Your Majesty. I mean Elsa. I'll just call you Elsa then, Elsa. Wait, what? I don't even know what I'm talking about anymore. I should shut up. Definitely. Wait, you said you wanted to be friends?" Anna was forced to stop talking by her lungs screaming for a new intake of breath. "Sorry."

To her surprise, the Queen – no, _Elsa _– actually laughed. Not a forced smile. Not a hidden giggle. No, an actual, full-blown laugh. Anna thought it sounded like ringing bells, singing birds, and a dozen other beautiful and melodic sounds.

"Yes, Anna, I did express the wish to become friends."

They halted in front of a large evergreen, looking at the birds flitting around its branches. "Why would the Queen want to befriend a simple farming girl?" Anna asked skeptically.

"Being the Queen doesn't make it easy to find friends," Elsa sighed. "People are always polite, yes. But they are also subservient. They tell me what they think I want to hear. They try to show as much decorum as they can when they are around me. Really, your honesty, your mannerisms, even your rambling, are remarkably refreshing. Besides, I don't know many women who would go and sleep outside voluntarily just to make me comfortable."

Anna was actually mute for a while, pondering over Elsa's words in her head. "I suppose..." More silence. "I suppose that makes sense," Anna finally said. Elsa smiled at her – again the honest and true smile, not the politically correct one – as they slowly sauntered through the garden. After a while, they reached a field without plants – yet more beautiful than the rest of the garden put together.

Anna marveled at the collection of ice sculptures in front of her. There were small ones on stone pedestals – birds, flowers, busts, butterflies and an assortment of other small animals – and there were large ones, depicting humans, large animals, and even a few creatures that seemed to come straight out of a fairy tale. Completely forgetting her companion, Anna rushed from sculpture to sculpture, studying as many of them as possible. Eventually, she stopped near a large sculpture, depicting a fable beast, half lion and half bird, standing on a cliff.

_The details are remarkable... I can see every feather and hair on its body. And its eyes look so real. Almost as if it could fly off at any given moment._

"It's so pretty," Anna sighed when she heard Elsa walking up to her. "What is it?"

"A Griffin," came Elsa's reply. "It's one of the latest additions to this collection."

Anna reached out to touch its beak. Once her hand came into contact with the ice, she felt an intense cold running through her body, but unlike usual cold it didn't feel unpleasant, and she didn't draw her hand back. After the initial surprise at the cold had ceased, she felt something else. Something she couldn't describe with words. A feeling of... comfort? Safety?

_God, I really have no clue..._

"Careful," Elsa smiled. "Wouldn't want your hand to get stuck there. Most people wouldn't even touch it in the first place, let alone keep their hand on it." Her voice actually sounded somewhat surprised. As Anna pulled her hand back, another gust of chilly wind wafted around them, causing her to shiver.

_Really? I can practically hug an ice sculpture but the wind is making me cold?_

Elsa's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry, Anna. I hadn't thought about the temperature. I suppose this isn't the best time of the year for walking out here. Let's go have lunch?" she shot her an apologetic smile – which made Anna's insides melt – and held out her arm, which merely confused her.

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on these sculptures. And yes, lunch sounds good about now." They'd been in the gardens for over forty minutes already...

Elsa, apparently realizing Anna wasn't certain what to do, took Anna's arm and hooked it through her own, before setting a brisk pace towards the palace entrance again.

_Holy...! Is this really happening? Her arm is so cold! Why are we even walking like this? Is this normal for her? Why are the guards looking at us like that? Why isn't she talking? Is she expecting me to talk? She looks content just walking. Maybe silence isn't that bad... Where are we even going? Oh, right, library! Lunch at the library, that's what she told Gerda. Chocolate! Oh, lord, I hope there's going to be a lot of chocolate!_

Anna was vaguely aware of the fact that her mind was in overdrive, and she was actually surprised when they came to a halt in front of a richly decorated door. _Well, this must be the library..._

When Elsa opened the door and walked her inside the large room, Anna felt her mouth falling open. She'd enjoyed reading since she was small and had spent many days on her mother's lap working through storybooks and fairy tales. When she was ten, and her mother passed away, she had clung to her books in an attempt to remember those good times. After reading them too many times, however, they had fallen apart, leaving her with nothing at all. Reading wasn't something people did in Hellmark, usually people were busy with either work or sleep, and it was hard to find new books. She only had three, all fairy tales, from which she occasionally read to the children of the village.

She had _never_ seen this many books gathered in one place. The library was not just large – it was massive. Case after case filled with books – story books, fairy tales, encyclopedias, folders filled with maps and drawings. To their right, there was a small round table, accompanied by two comfortable chairs, and a large oaken cabinet near a grand fireplace.

Gerda already stood waiting for them, a patient smile around her lips and a slight twinkle in her eyes. Her hands rested on a trolley, filled with silver platters that – unfortunately- were still covered. "Your Majesty, Ms. Oaken. I hope you enjoyed your afternoon stroll."

"Yes!" Anna almost bellowed, before clasping her hand over her mouth.

Elsa smiled, giving a slight squeeze in Anna's hand. "Very much so, Gerda."

"I've taken the liberty of lighting the fireplace for you two. And I took everything 'chocolaty' that I could find in the kitchens. There's chocolate milk, chocolate cake, chocolate muffins, chocolate pudding, chocolate- Ah, well, you get the gist."

"Thank you Gerda," Elsa smiled, indicating that she could leave. Elsa walked over to the table, motioning for Anna to sit in one of the easy chairs as she took a chessboard from the table and placed it into the cabinet lined against the wall. For a while, the silence was only broken by the crackling of the fire and the clatter of plates as Elsa moved them from the trolley to the table.

"Don't you have servants to do that for you?" Anna asked bemusedly.

"I do. But I also have two perfectly capable hands," Elsa smiled in return.

Anna looked at all the chocolate goodness in front of her, and realised that she must have died and landed in heaven. The heat from the fire was making her comfortably lazy as she indulged herself. She was so busy, it took her a while to notice that Elsa – the Queen – was consuming as much chocolate as she herself. An achievement Anna had thought impossible up to now.

Once all of the chocolate was gone – either consumed or molten – Anna laid back in her chair. Elsa moved the plates back to the trolley before looking at her. "What would you like to do now?"

"Could you read to me?" Anna asked. As soon as the words had left her, she felt somewhat ashamed. "My mother and I used to read," she continued to explain. "But there aren't many books in Hellmark. Only three, actually, I think. And... it'd be nice to hear some new tales."

Elsa merely smiled, holding up one finger to indicate Anna to wait a moment, and walked off. She disappeared between the bookcases, and returned with a large, red tome after a minute or so. "I think you might like this one," she smiled, sitting down again and opening the large book.

"After having been away from his kingdom for a great many years," Elsa started, "the prince returned to the capital. There, he found nothing but chaos, destruction, and death. In his palace, he found his fiancée, Princess Isabelle, tending to many injured soldiers. Rejoiced to see him again, she explained to the prince how the demonic werewolf had come and attacked a year after he had left..."

Anna listened to the story with childlike wonder as Elsa read on and told her how the Prince, a great warrior, and the Princess, a powerful sorceress, fought the threat together, and persevered through the strength of their love. When she closed her eyes, she could see it vividly, and after some time, she became aware of the fact that she was actually dreaming, though still hearing Elsa's gentle voice telling the story.

* * *

Elsa looked up from her book and smiled as Anna stretched and yawned, her eyes finally fluttering open again. She had been sleeping in her chair for nearly three hours. Elsa had continued reading the tale for a while, but eventually she had put the book down and retrieved the book she had been reading for herself from the cabinet, reading it in silence.

Anna, finally aware of her surroundings again, smiled at her bashfully. "I guess I was more tired than I thought," she muttered. "Sorry about falling asleep like that."

"Quite alright," Elsa smiled back. "It's hard to fight sleep when listening to a tale in front of a warm fire. I have some experience in that department."

"How long was I out?"

"Three hours or so. Your brother returned half an hour ago. You'll be heading back to Hellmark in two hours."

Elsa liked to think of herself as an expert in reading people. If she was not misreading Anna's countenance, she perceived both happiness and sadness. The latter, however, seemed to be more prominent. "Are you not happy to return home?"

"Oh, I am... It's just that... I really enjoyed today, you know? I know we hardly know each other, but for some reason it just feels like we've been friends for ages... No, forget I said that. We're hardly even friends and I'm just being weird."

"I'd like to think of us as friends," Elsa responded softly, causing Anna's face to split into a smile that almost looked painful. "And I really enjoyed our day as well. So, how do you suggest we spend our remaining time?"

"Well," Anna started. "I didn't really catch what happened to the werewolf..."

Elsa smiled and picked the heavy tome up again, opening it where she had left off. As she read, she was painfully aware of the silly smile on her own face, as well as Anna's.

* * *

Elsa sat in front of the fire again. Anna and Kristoff had left a few hours ago, and she and Hans had seen them off at the main gate of the castle. She had assured Anna that this would not be the last time they'd see each other – and one way or another she would make sure to keep that promise. Anna was growing very dear to her, short as their acquaintance had been so far. Right now, however, she had more pressing matters to set her mind to.

She had felt it as soon as Anna had touched her ice sculpture. It had... changed something. Elsa had been experimenting with her powers for some time – since the death of her parents, to be perfectly honest – and was making good progress. She could craft anything she wanted in mere minutes if she tried hard enough. She could even bring her creations to life. That was exactly where things went wrong, though.

A few months back, she had been practicing that very thing on a large, sloppily made ice golem. It had come to life. Very much so, in fact. It had taken its large fist and slammed a hole in the wall of the courtyard where she had been practicing. Obviously, that had not been her intention, but the golem didn't seem to care. At all. Next thing she knew, it went straight for the three guards that kept her company. The only reason _they_ were still alive was Elsa's reflex of disintegrating the golem. All experiments following that one had resulted in more or less the same.

She heard the door open and close behind her, but didn't look round. She didn't have to. The only one who would disturb her in the library at this time was Hans. And, surely enough, he lowered himself into the vacant seat next to her.

"So..." he started after a while. "Guess what. I just took a walk in the garden to clear my head, and noticed one of your sculptures was gone..."

"The Griffin," Elsa replied. It wasn't a question. Merely a statement.

Hans nodded, but didn't say anything.

"It's at the North Mountain," Elsa continued. "Flying around in the blizzard."

The only indicators of his surprise was the slight raising of eyebrows. "Is it...?"

"It's obedient, yes."

"How?"

"I'm... not entirely certain."

Hans was silent still, knowing that Elsa would continue talking after gathering her thoughts. "Anna touched it. Something changed. Then it listened."

They shared another moment of silence. It was a comfortable silence, and they both enjoyed it while they could, knowing that it would be broken soon enough. After a while, Hans sighed.

"The scouts have returned."

Elsa nodded, as practiced in the role of listener as Hans had just been.

"It doesn't look good, Elsa. Shadowacre, Estershade, Greybell, Shadehall and Fogmount have rallied under the witch. According to my scouts they're raising armies. Arendelle won't be their first target, but with such numbers, it's only a matter of time..."

"You know I don't like the word 'witch,' Hans." A deep sigh. "What about Foxcliff, Freybank and Goldlake?"

"Neutral for now, it seems. The rest of the scouts are scheduled to come back in a few days."

Elsa nodded again as Hans raised himself from the chair. "I'll write to Rapunzel and Merida tomorrow. They need to know too. What about the Southern Isles?"

Hans wavered for a moment. "Father and I haven't exactly been on good terms since I decided to remain here, but I'll ask for his support nonetheless."

Hans nodded, half to Elsa and half to himself, and then walked off. Before he opened the door, though, he turned around. "Elsa... I'm sorry for ending today on such a macabre note. I didn't mean to ruin a good day."

Elsa raised her eyebrows with an unasked question. As usual, she didn't need to phrase it for Hans to understand.

"You were happier today than I've seen you in years. Well, except for the goodbye at the gates, that is."

Hans took his leave, closing the door behind him.

_Yes. I suppose I was._

* * *

**So, I finally finished writing out a plot for this story. Well, more or less. Okay, fine, I'm still improvising, but with a general idea of where I'm going... Thoughts, feedback, compliments and good jokes are always welcomed, either via review or PM. And a big, big, big 'thank you' to everone who followed, favorited, and reviewed this story so far. You are all awesome people, and you make me all mushy inside. I literally do a happy dance for every review I get :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Anna was sitting in her tree again. She was fully aware of the fact that this was probably the last time this year she would be able to do so. Soon, temperatures would start dropping, and it would be too cold for her to be here and still be able to unwind. She'd probably freeze to death. In fact, it was already a little chilly at the moment, and the only reason Anna felt comfortable now was the blanket she had brought along to wrap herself in.

She just needed a little time and space to think. So much had happened over the past few days. She had had the most wonderful day with Queen Elsa, not even a week back now, and it had turned her mind into a puddle of useless goo. She had been sad to leave – much more so than her brother. He had 'enjoyed his time at the palace, but was really relieved to be going home again.' Apparently, royalty didn't really agree with him as much as it did with Anna. Queen Elsa and Prince Hans had seen them off, making sure that they had plenty of food (from the palace kitchens) and their dinner outfits with them. The expensive gown now hung in Anna's closet, as far from the others as possible.

When they had been halfway to Hellmark, their sleigh had been overtaken by a rider. He had handed Anna a package, bowed, and driven off the way he had come. Once Anna had taken off the simple brown paper, she found herself holding an intricately decorated book with several lesser known fairy tales. On the first page, she had found a little text, written in the most delicate handwriting in existence. It had read _Dear Anna, consider this book a gift, by which to remember the day we spent together. No returning it, please! I hope to see you again in the future. Signed, Queen Elsa of Arendelle._

Just reading the note Anna had almost swooned. Kristoff had looked at her with a curious expression, and she was very grateful that he had decided not to ask anything. When they had arrived home, they came upon another royal horseman, this one camping out in one of their barns. They told their father everything that had happened, and he appeared overjoyed. Apparently, the rider had already delivered the new lease, which was far more agreeable than the previous ones had been.

And then he had told them about the elections. Apparently, Hellmark would be getting a mayor to represent the citizens of the village in a newly formed council. The position would involve a lot of community work, talking to people and keeping up to date with their wants and needs, keeping track of opinions on important matters. It would also involve a lot of traveling: every time the council would gather, the representative would make their way from Hellmark to the capital. They would get to stay at Town Hall for the duration of the meetings, and then return.

It was already a universally accepted truth that Asger Oaken would become Hellmark's representative. He was, after all, not only the largest man in the village, but also the most important, most well-known and well-liked. And he seemed to be okay with accepting the position, since it would be for the well-being of his fellow citizens.

The next day, Oaken Farm had been visited by _another_ rider. This one specifically asked for 'Ms. Oaken,' which could of course only be Anna. He handed her another package. It had contained three more books – an epic tale about a sorcerer, a collection of children's stories and nursery rhymes, and the story Queen Elsa had read to her in the library. Anna had cleared a spot on her desk, where her new collection of books now proudly stood. She was starting to feel like a spoiled child, and if she ever got the chance, she'd have to have a little talk with Elsa about that...

And then the elections had come round. There were three days for voting, but by the end of the first day everyone with voting rights had already deposited their slip in the box, so the election was closed early, and the rider that had been sent by the Queen started counting the votes. The next morning, he had announced that Asger Oaken had indeed received the most votes. It had appeared as if he had wanted to say 'all the votes,' but maybe Anna, and several others, had just imagined that.

The rider left, and that was the end of that entire affair. Or so Anna thought. It had been early in the evening, three or four days later, when she had opened the door to find the portly head servant of the Queen on their front porch. She could remember that evening particularly well.

"Kai?"

"Good evening, Ms. Oaken. A pleasure to see you in such good health. I was hoping to speak to your father?"

"Right! Of course. Come in, please?"

Kai had stepped in and taken a seat at the table, while Anna opened the door at the back of the house.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!" she had bellowed, not knowing where her father was working exactly. He had come running as fast as he could, probably thinking Anna was dying or close to it, and was ready to start scolding her when she revealed their visitor. The entire issue was suddenly forgotten.

"Anna, you go and clean your room, ya?"

Anna had known better than to protest. It wouldn't have helped one bit. So, she walked up the stairs, opened her door, and closed it again. After which she tiptoed back to the top of the stairs, quietly as possible, to listen in on the conversation.

"Mr. Oaken," Kai started, "congratulations on your... overwhelming success in the elections."

"Thank you. I'm very honoured, hm?"

"Good, good. Now, the Queen would like the council to gather for the first time in two weeks. There won't be anything of importance to discuss, no, no... It will just serve for everyone to make each other's acquaintance, and Her Majesty will instruct you on your duties, rights, benefits, financial compensation... things like that."

Anna could practically hear her father nodding.

"Your stay in the capital will be the length of a week," Kai continued. "There will be several meetings of the council, a tour of the city, and a ball for all the representatives."

She almost fell off the stairs at the mention of a "ball." After all, was that not any girl's deepest desire? Right now, she was starting to regret that she hadn't entered into the elections herself. _But I would blow at diplomacy..._

"Very good," Oaken answered. "I will make arrangements for the farm."

"Of course, marvelous. One more thing, though..."

Kai sounded apprehensive, as if he wasn't exactly certain of what he was going to say. Everything up to now had sounded so official, carefully planned and meticulously performed, Anna couldn't help but think the next bit was not part of the official talk.

Silence. More silence.

"Anna! I know you are on the stairs, ya? Go to your room, hm?"

_Well damn. _

Anna heard a door close downstairs, and after that she could only make out muffled voices. _Might as well go to my room, then..._

When she had come downstairs for dinner, Kai had left and Kristoff had returned from wherever he had been. Halfway through dinner, their father had opened the subject again.

"Kristoff, I will not be here next week. You can take care of the farm with the farmhands, ya?"

Kristoff, his mouth stuffed with potatoes and carrots, nodded. "Whu bt A'a?"

_What?_ Anna had thought, but somehow, her father had been able to understand him.

"Anna will be coming to the capital with me," he had explained, very casually.

_Oh? ... Oh!_

"Why?"

Asger merely shrugged, knitting his brow in thought. "I... don't know. The man that was here asked for her. Told me it was important. He didn't say more, and I didn't ask. Anna enjoyed the capital, so I thought she might like to return."

"YES! YES! DOUBLE YES! OH YES! ABSOLUTELY!"

Asger and Kristoff had both brought their hands to their ears at Anna's outbursts, and they could hear Sven running away from the window outside. _Okay, so that was a little too enthusiastic. Maybe. _

Anna smiled as a cloud drifted away, allowing the sun to hit her face, and she wiggled around on her branch a bit, trying to get more comfortable. _Yes, it's been a strange few days... This time tomorrow, I'll be in the capital again. Staying at Town Hall should be fun... Wonder if I'll get a chance to see Elsa again... We'll be there for a week... And why did Kai want me to come anyway?_

That was a question she had asked herself many times since his visit. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get a satisfying answer. The best she had come up with was the idea that the Queen liked her, and maybe they wanted Anna to make her less lonely? But that was a ridiculous notion in itself, of course. Queens don't get lonely, they are surrounded by people all the time. And yes, Elsa had said she didn't have many friends, but surely she had plenty of people she liked? Enough not to be lonely? So she had set to thinking up more reasons, some even more ridiculous than others.

* * *

The capital hadn't changed a bit. Well, that should not have come as such a big surprise, Anna had only been away for a measly two weeks, after all. Anna managed to lead her father to Town Hall, remembering the roads Sven had pulled their sleight through. Sven was not here, though, so she couldn't count on his guidance. Their horses were taken to the stables in the back, and they walked in timidly, both feeling somewhat out of their comfort zone.

Anna didn't recognise any faces once they entered, but walked up to a middle aged woman sitting behind her desk. Her father lingered behind, his eyes still scanning the grand hall he suddenly found himself in. Anna giggled silently at the realisation that it must have been _ages_ since he left Hellmark.

"What can I do for you, miss?"

"Oh, right! Uh, my father is Asger Oaken, representative of Hellmark..."

The woman nodded and pulled out a stack of papers. "Oaken... Oaken... Let me see..." She kept flipping through the papers. "Nirtham, Nuring, Orthal... I'm sorry, miss, there are no bookings for Oaken."

Anna looked at her. She didn't seem as malicious as Orthal had, so she figured it was just a mistake. "Could you... please check again?"

"That won't be necessary, I'm afraid this is all my fault," she heard from behind them. Anna grinned as she realised Kai had the uncanny ability to appear where and when you least expected him to.

"Please follow me, Mr. Oaken, Ms. Oaken," he smiled, gesturing outside. "Your horses will be taken care of."

They walked outside, and Kai led them uphill, following the winding road. After a minute or so, Anna felt confident enough to talk. "You're taking us to the castle?"

"Yes, Ms. Oaken."

"Why?"

"Queen Elsa has... made arrangements. You and your father will be staying at the castle."

"Why?"

Kai smiled. "Queen Elsa mentioned not having had a chance to repay your father's kindness during her stay in Hellmark. Also, she thought it would probably be best to keep you and Lord Orthal separated as much as possible."

"Oh... He's at Town Hall?"

"Yes. He was demoted after failing to fulflil the Queen's request for your lease in time. He returned to Glamveil, a city a few hours north of Hellmark, and now returned as their representative."

_She actually demoted Orthal? Oh my god, that's so awesome!_

Anna attempted to hide her glee, but judging by Kai's conspiratorial smirk, she was failing in doing so. Kai led them up to the same rooms Anna and Kristoff had occupied during their last visit. "Here we are. Mr Oaken, the council will gather at eleven tomorrow morning, in the throne room. Dinner will be brought to your rooms momentarily. If there is anything you need, feel free to call one of the servants – there will be one around at all times."

Anna laughed as her father entered his room, completely taken aback by the attention. Anna suspected he knew that this was singular, even for representatives – and maybe Anna was just a little pompous or misguided, but she couldn't help feeling this was, at the _very_ least, partially because of her relation with Elsa.

_Relation? Really, Anna? You spend one day with the Queen and you have a 'relation?' _

Anna didn't ponder on it for too long, though. She remembered the softness of the bed, and was rather eager to make use of it again. In her room, she found that not much had changed. Except for the fact that there was a book on her nightstand – 'The Grand Adventure of the Abominable Snowman' – and an expensive looking dress hanging from her closet. She also found a little note on the table in front of the window.

_Dear Anna, _

_Welcome back!_

_I left you a book for some bedtime reading, in case you didn't bring one of your own. Also, I was hoping to spend some time with you tomorrow afternoon. I have to be present at the council meeting first, but Gerda will be around to see to your needs. Let her know if you'll be available to keep me company, and she'll make sure I get the message._

_Also, the dress is another present. I heard you mumbling something about a 'potato sack dress' and felt the situation needed to be rectified._

_-Elsa_

Anna looked at the dress. The model was quite simple, but it still managed to look very... well... expensive. It was a dark shade of red – a colour she would normally avoid due to the hue of her hair – but was otherwise very reminiscent of her new green dress.

She jumped when someone knocked on the door, but smiled fondly as Gerda came walking in with a trolley. "Good evening, Ms. Oaken. I hope you are well?"

"Very. Thank you, Gerda."

"Good. I brought dinner. I included an extra slice of chocolate cake for dessert, but let's keep that our little secret, okay?"

Anna nodded with a sly grin. "Sure thing."

"Just leave the trolley outside when you're done, dear, and I'll be by to pick it up."

As Gerda turned to leave, Anna suddenly remembered the note. "Gerda! Could you... The Queen asked me to let you know whether I'll spend the afternoon with her tomorrow."

"Yes?"

"Yes!"

"What?"

"I mean – uh – Yes, I'll spend the afternoon with her?"

"Lovely dear. I'll be around to help you get ready tomorrow."

* * *

Gerda hadn't been joking when she said she'd be around. When Anna woke up around half past eleven – only faintly realising her father was already in his meeting – and slowly got up and sauntered to the door, she found the kindly woman waiting outside, an endlessly patient smile on her face.

"Good morning, Ms. Oaken."

"Mo'nin'," Anna yawned, trying to hide it behind her hand.

"I assume you slept well?"

"Hmmhmm."

"I brought pancakes for breakfast, I do hope that's alright. Now here you go, dear. You enjoy this, and I'll start drawing you a bath."

Little under an hour later, Anna was ready for the day. She had bathed and was now wearing the new dress. Elsa, however, was still in her meeting, and Anna didn't feel like being alone while waiting. "Gerda? Could we... maybe, I dunno, take a walk?"

"Of course, dear!" Gerda beamed. "Where would you like to go?"

"The gardens, please."

"Very well."

To her surprise, and disappointment, the ice sculpture of the Griffin wasn't there anymore. Where it used to stand, she now found the sculpture of a wolf. It was at least three times her size, and Anna marveled as she studied every individual hair on its body. Like the Griffin, its eyes were incredibly lifelike.

"Gerda... I'd like to meet the sculptor. Would that be possible?"

"Meet the sculptor?"

"Yes. Whoever made these..."

"You already have, dear. Did Her Majesty not tell you? She makes these herself."

Anna knew she should be surprised. And, in a vague sense, she was. But mostly, she just thought it logical and natural that these sculptures were made by Elsa's hand. It seemed like something she would do. She gently reached her hand out, placing it on the wolf's snout. Just like before, she was overwhelmed with an incredibly cold wave, without it actually feeling unpleasant. And, like before, it was followed with the comforting feeling of... Well, she still hadn't found the right word.

"Gerda? What do you feel when you touch this?"

Gerda looked at her quizzically, but hesitantly reached out to touch the wolf's flank. She immediately pulled her hand back. "Just ice. Very cold ice. I'm not sure you should keep your hand on it like that, Ms. Oaken..."

Anna looked at her hand, only now realizing it was still on the icy snout. "Right..." she muttered, withdrawing her hand hesitantly. She trailed a finger in between the wolf's eyes, noticing how the comforting feeling immediately returned, but the cold wave did not. Wondering, she walked over to the next sculpture.

This one depicted a large bear, standing on its hind legs and looking positively feral. The details were as extensive as those on the other sculptures, and Anna grew more impressed with Elsa's skills the more she saw. She reached out to touch this one as well, and immediately the blast of cold invaded her senses again, before the comforting feeling settled over her. _Strange..._

Anna was so overwhelmed and intrigued by the sculptures around her she didn't even notice Gerda slowly withdrawing, a curious smile forming around her lips and a shiny twinkle in her eyes.

* * *

The meeting was almost at its end when it happened. Elsa had been explaining the duties of the newly formed council when she had suddenly gotten distracted.

_Anna's in the ice garden_.

She was certain of it. She ignored the feeling of the wolf coming to life and awaiting her orders. She just told it to stay put, at least for the time being. After all, it wouldn't do for a wolf the size of a bear to suddenly start roaming the palace. Especially with Anna still there.

"So, as I was saying, you will be called here for nationwide decisions that affect the citizens you represent..." _The bear. _"For decisions that are either irrelevant for your citizens, or decisions that need to be made urgently..." _The lion._ "... you will not be called back here. Instead, you will be informed via carrier pigeon so as to..." _The troll and the unicorn. _"...be able to keep your districts in the loop. Furthermore, for decisions on war, you will also not be asked for your opinions, since..." _The eagle. _"... since those would require specialised training, and..." _The snake. _"... would also need to be made with haste. Unfortunately, this council simply isn't equipped for such decisions..." _The Centaur. _"Any questions?" _The Phoenix. _"No? Good. We will meet again tomorrow, where we'll discuss..." _The elephant_. "... the protocol for our gatherings."

Elsa didn't wait for the representatives to leave. She noticed an angry looking Lord Orthal coming towards her, but waved him away before he could even utter a single word. She had someplace to be. As she rushed through the halls towards her ice garden, she kept feeling the strange sensation, over and over again.

_The goat. The peacock. The butterfly. The... oh god, no... not the dragon. _Elsa groaned as she pushed the doors to the gardens open forcibly. The dragon was the largest of her creations, towering high over the walls of the courtyard in which it was contained. If something went wrong with that one... She didn't want to think about that...

At least she knew exactly where to find Anna. Surely enough, she found her sitting on the end of the dragon's tail, deep in thought judging by the look on her face.

"Hello Anna," she smiled.

"Elsa! Or... should I call you Elsa or Your Majesty?"

"As long as it is just you and me, Elsa is fine. That's not a chair, by the way," she added with a smirk. It was amazing how easy it was to be herself around this woman.

"Yeah, well," Anna started, looking a little indignant. "Maybe you should just _make_ me a chair then?"

_What? Did she know? How? _

Of course, her powers weren't _exactly _a secret, but she had long ago decided not to flaunt it around. Apparently, her confusion was evident on her face, as Anna started to giggle.

"Gerda told me you made these yourself. It's hard to... you know... imagine you with a hammer and chisel. How do you get the details so fine and small? Really tiny hammer and chisel?"

Elsa released a breath in relief. So Anna didn't know about her powers. Not yet, at least. She'd need to have a word with Gerda, though.

_Wait? Do I _want_ Anna to know? What if she will think poorly of me?_

"Well, not exactly, Anna," she smiled, silently making a decision for herself. If Anna dropped it now, she wouldn't tell yet. If she kept asking, she would. Simple as that.

"Then how?" Anna almost whined.

Elsa couldn't help but grin a little. "Name an animal."

"A horse?"

_That should be easy. I've done plenty of those..._

Elsa spread her arms in front of her, forming a cup with her hands. With a little bit of concentration, she felt the cold seep through her arms, gathering in her hands, and then flowing out. A perfect snowflake formed in between her hands. Anna looked on in amazement, her eyes growing wide as the snowflake drifted to the ground. But Elsa wasn't done yet – that had only been the easy part.

She closed her eyes, bringing up the mental image of a horse, whinnying with flaring manes. Once that was done, she made sure to apply the details on the picture in her mind, every separate hair she could see, if she tried hard enough. The look in its eyes, fierce and determined, she imagined.

When she opened her eyes again, the horse was still there. Except this one was real, and made entirely of her ice. Realisation suddenly hit her hard. She had shown Anna. But Anna was nowhere to be seen. And then it happened. She touched the horse, and that strange, tingling feeling shot through Elsa's body again.

"That's totally awesome, Elsa. So you _can_ shoot ice from your hands! _And_ you're the most gorgeous woman in the kingdom. Life just isn't fair, sometimes."

"What?"

Anna and Elsa both blushed heavily – Elsa at the compliment, Anna at the slip of her tongue, for she hadn't actually meant to say it out loud. Elsa was the first to recover. "Shall we head to the library? We can talk there..."

Anna nodded, a sparkling light shining behind her eyes.

* * *

She stood looking out to the lands below her. The highest balcony of her tower allowed her to overlook a large part of her land, and she delighted in watching the shadows dance across the ground. It was a little after noon, she estimated. Probably around two. But that didn't matter anymore. The dark mist in the sky was thick enough to block out most of the sun.

Her hand reached out to a dark strand of her hair, and she wrapped it around her finger as the footsteps behind her drew closer. She didn't like being disturbed – but they all had sacrifices to make for the cause.

"Milady, my men just reported back. They found another one."

Dark mist started whirling around her feet. "Where?"

"Foxcliff."

"Go and collect it. Put it with the others."

"Milady, I think we might need your help with this one."

She turned around swiftly, the dark mist around her feet now rising up to her hips. "You _what?"_

The man immediately dropped down to his knees. "Pardon, Milady, but this one appears... more powerful than the others."

"Rise."

The man got up from his knees, but still kept his head down. She walked over to him, behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "It's alright..." she muttered, willing the dark mist to reach her hands. "You're going to Foxcliff, and you're going to collect it for me. Aren't you?"

The mist now clouded from her hands to his face, whirling around his head for a few seconds. Something flashed through his eyes, before everything returned to normal again.

"Of course, Milady. Not a problem. We'll be back in a week's time."

* * *

**Alright. First off: I'm _very_ sorry. This chapter is pretty boring, I imagine. But there was some stuff here that just had to happen. The next chapter will feature a ball, so I guess that's nice? I had planned for that to be in this chapter, but it would have become way too long. Hence this rather uneventful chapter. So, next chapter will have a ball, and the conversation between Elsa and Anna that follows immediately after the little outing in the gardens. Would that be alright? Please don't be too mad? :3**

**A BIG thank-you to everyone who followed and favorited. And an especially BIG THANK-YOU to everyone who has reviewed/PM'ed me. You lot are really the most awesome people ever, and I'll do my best to make the next chapter more worthwhile. That's a promise! I might even get it out there before the end of the year! :3**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, a few things that need to be adressed before you can start reading (unless you skip this part, that is...). Firstly, I still have a lot of ideas for this story, but I seem to be drawing a blank on the next chapter, where I have maybe enough ideas for 500 or so words... Soooo, suggestions are most welcome. **

**Secondly, I'd like to apologize in advance for my somewhat irregular updating schedule - I'm balancing four stories, my job, and my partner, so I don't always get to write as often and as much as I'd like. I'd love to promise y'all that I'll be faster or equally fast as I'm now, but that would be an empty promise, so instead I'll just tell you to PM me if you think one of my stories has gone without updates for too long. The mail notification should kick in and get me back to work if need be... :)**

**Also, I've been getting tons of PMs about my personal life, and I didn't answer any of them... So I'll just share what I'm willing to share here for everyone interested. If you don't care, feel free to move on the the actual story... :) I'm a woman, 22 years old, British, and my name is Caitlyn-Elizabeth (Yes, my parents went crazy with the naming - generally people just use either of the two...). I guess that's all you folks need to know, really... :)**

* * *

_Dear Merida,_

_I am so sorry for my late reply! So much has happened the last month that I hardly know where to begin. Well, let me start at the start, to make it easier for you. I know how hard written correspondence can be on your concentration..._

_Thank you for the goat you sent me with your last letter. Although I'm not entirely certain why I would need a goat. If it is your best idea to deal with my loneliness, I fear you failed rather badly. If it was with the intention of making me laugh, you were very successful. Also, I'm of the opinion that he does not like the cold very much. He reminds me of you that way..._

_My public campaign through Arendelle was a great success, but a total drag. I can't stand seeing noblemen for the next month. There were a few especially annoying ones in the larger cities. All in all, the tour was useful but boring, I suppose. Then again, something caught my attention in a little village a few hours north of my castle. Well, someone, to be completely honest. But I'll tell you more about that when I see you in person. It's a little embarrassing, so I wouldn't want you to miss out on the opportunity to laugh in my face._

_My 'iciness' is doing great, thank you for asking. I do think I scared the aforementioned goat into submission with the likeness of a rather feral wolf..._

_This next part of the letter you might want to share with your parents:_

_We've received reports from the northern kingdoms – Shadowacre, Greybell, Fogmount and their surroundings. They all seem to have rallied under a 'gifted individual.' We're not entirely sure what we are dealing with at the moment, but they seem to be raising armies. It's rather concerning, especially since Arendelle is the only way for them to reach the southern kingdoms. Sooner or later they will come marching to our doorstep. _

_There's no need to reply (to this part of the letter, at least). I just wanted to make sure you and your family were aware of the situation. We can discuss it further when you come to Arendelle for the Yule celebrations. You are still coming, right?_

_-Love Elsa._

She put the letter down on her desk, brushing her hand through the wild red hair, wincing when her fingers got caught in several knots.

_I'll have until Yule to think about that witch. 'Gifted individual,' me arse. Mustn't forget to show mum and dad. Make a mental note. Done! _

Merida stuffed the letter in the pocket of her riding breeches, reaching out for her bow.

_At least she liked the goat..._

* * *

"So," Elsa started once they were seated in the easy chairs of the library, the fire roaring in the fireplace. "I imagine you have a lot of questions now."

Anna furrowed her brow, the confidence she had felt in the garden nowhere to be found now. After a while, it seemed as if she made up her mind on her line of questioning, and she slowly opened her mouth. "Since when were you able to do... that?"

"Well... I've had these powers since birth. I only learned to control them when I was fifteen or something close to that... And after the death of my parents, I started actively practicing with them. The ice sculptures are something from the past year."

"Are you the only one who can do this?"

Elsa cocked her head to the side. "The only one with magic, or the only one with ice magic?"

"Both, I suppose?"

"Okay. No, there are others with magic, although they are few and far between. I do believe I'm the only one in the kingdom with magic. And, as far as I know, the only one entirely with ice powers. But there are many people in the world, and I hardly know anything about most of them."

Anna nodded, deep in thought. She opened her mouth to ask another question, then closed it again. And went back to thinking.

_Is there something she's afraid to ask?_

Anna opened and closed her mouth several more times while staring into the fire, making her look like a fish gasping air. "Your ice... is it like normal ice?"

"Yes and no," Elsa answered hesitantly. "It's a difficult question. I can make a heap of snow right here, and it would be _just_ a heap of snow. In front of the fire, it would melt within minutes. But I could also make a snowball for you and place it on the table between us – and it would still be there tomorrow, even if we'd let the fire burn. And when I try especially hard, my ice can get... other special properties. Any particular reason for asking?"

"It's just that..." Anna let the sentence linger for a while, before picking it up again. "I asked Gerda to touch your ice this morning, and she didn't feel anything special. Just ice. But... when I touch it, I get this strange feeling."

This spiked Elsa's curiosity. "Strange feeling?"

Anna nodded frantically. "At first, a wave of cold blasts through me, making me feel like I'll be frozen in place forever. But it's not unpleasant! Not at all, actually. And it only lasts for like a few seconds? And then another feeling takes over... and it feels of... comfort... No, that's not it... Safety, maybe?"

"Trust," Elsa muttered to herself. "Comfort, and safety, and trust..."

"Yes! Those are the right words! How did you-"

"Anna. I need to tell you something. But you have to promise to keep it a secret."

Anna nodded, recognizing the serious tone in Elsa's voice and realising this was in earnest. Elsa took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "I can imbue my creations with life. But there's a little catch to it... It's easier to show you."

Within seconds, she had crafted a little dove in the palm of her hands, the ice sparkling brilliantly in the light of the fire. As soon as she willed it to life, it took off, flying around their heads frantically, hitting the wall several times before finally crashing in the fireplace.

"Loose cannon," Elsa stated matter-of-factly. "No control whatsoever."

She brought her hands together again, creating an identical bird, but not willing it to life yet. "Touch it, please," she muttered as she held it out to Anna. She felt the strange sensation, and the look on Anna's face betrayed that she felt the same. This time, the bird flitted up carefully, landing on Anna's shoulder and cooing softly. Then it landed on the table, taking one of the chess pieces off the board and moving it diagonally.

"Check mate. Perfect control."

Anna's eyes were wide with wonder. Her gaze flicked from the fireplace to the little bird that now strutted around the table. "But how?"

"I'm not sure. Somehow, I can control my creations after you've touched them. But frankly, I'm hardly an expert, even though they _are_ my powers. I have no idea how or why. Not yet, at least... I was as amazed as you were last time you visited..."

"Last time I... Oh! So the Griffin?"

"She's at the North Mountain. She likes flying at high altitudes."

"It's a she?"

"I'd like to think so, yes," Elsa smiled.

Anna seemed to hesitate for a moment before asking her next question. "Is this why you asked for me to come back here?"

_What?_

"I- I didn't _ask_ for you to be here?" Elsa wracked her mind trying to remember having given any such indication to the rider she had sent for Hellmark. "According to Kai, the rider had relayed that you had wanted to come along, and he sent a letter to let you know that was alright...?"

"Rider? Kai came to Hellmark, and told my father it was 'very important' that I came along!" Anna looked as confused as Elsa felt, but realization soon started to settle across her mind, and she groaned loudly as she dropped her head in her hands.

"I see. Don't worry, Anna. It's just a... miscommunication between Kai and me."

_I really need to have a talk with Kai and Gerda both. I don't know what they're up to, but by Fenrir's Tail I'll find out..._

"It's not that I don't like being here!" Anna immediately piped, her voice sounding anxious. "I do! I really love being here. This place is awesome. You're awesome. Oh god, did I really just say that? _Again?_ Never mind, I just-"

"I'm glad you _did_ come back here, Anna," Elsa giggled, relieving the blushing redhead from her own ramblings before they got the better of her. Anna seemed to relax somewhat. Elsa was about to ask how she'd propose spending the rest of their afternoon when Anna suddenly sat up again, looking as if she just remembered something.

"Elsa, can I ask you one more thing?"

"Of course, Anna. Anything."

"It's about the books. And the dresses. I really like them, but I'm starting to feel like a spoiled child... And I was wondering why?"

"Why you feel like a spoiled child?"

"No! Why you... you know... gave me all those gifts."

Elsa thought about that for a while. _I'm not really sure myself. I figured they'd make you happy... And seeing you happy – or even knowing you're happy – makes me happy?_

"I like spoiling you," was the only thing her subconscious pushed out of her mouth. "Are you going to ask me to stop?"

Anna cocked her head to the side, staring up at the ceiling. "No..." followed by a silence. Elsa could feel she wasn't done talking though. "I only wanted to make sure you actually _wanted _it. I don't want you to feel like you need to... I don't know... buy my friendship."

"I know, Anna," Elsa replied quietly, annoyed as she felt a foreign emotion clog up her throat. "You're just such a wonderful person, it's pretty hard not to spoil you..."

"Well, in that case, you can read me another one of your stories," Anna smirked, laying back in her chair and folding her arms. Her grin grew even wider when Elsa got up with a faux sigh and walked over to one of the bookshelves.

* * *

_Dear Rapunzel,_

_I would apologise for my late reply to your letter, but you may consider it revenge for that time you had me wait half a year because you, and I quote, 'left the letter in your underwear drawer.'_

_Please stop enticing me with the prospect of sandy beaches, hot summer sun and handsome, half-undressed men. The entire scene hardly agrees with me. More on the latter part of that summation later, I suppose._

_Arendelle is faring well. I recently returned from my public campaign – you know, the one that had me visiting ev-e-ry city and village under my rule. People were happy, I was miserable, nobles complained and that was pretty much it. Financially we are also doing well, but thank you for offering donations. I'm certain Corona can find a suitable destination for the money. If not, I know of a certain long-haired, blonde princess that should have no trouble spending it all away._

_Maybe you should take a seat for this bit of information: I met a girl. Not that shocking in itself, really. But I'm certain you know what I mean. As in, a girl that I might like the way you like Eu- Pardon, Flynn (I still think it's ridiculous, by the way!). I haven't told anyone yet, but seeing the history of your love life, I think I can entrust you with this bit of information. You see, she's actually the daughter of a farmer. Her name is Anna, and I think you might meet her when you're coming over for the Yule Ball. (Assuming you haven't changed your mind...)_

_But now on to the actual reason for this letter. And you should probably show this particular part to your parents as well. Shadowacre, Blackmeadow, Greybell, Estershade, Fogmount and Shadehall have all united under a woman with abilities similar to my own... Well, we're not entirely certain what she can do exactly, but there is magic involved, which makes us similar, right? Anyway, they are raising armies. Yes, plural. Me and Hans are a little worried, but we'll discuss the matter further when we meet face to face. I just thought Corona might want to know what was going on._

_Say 'hi' to Pascal for me, provided you haven't lost him yet._

_-Love Elsa_

Rapunzel immediately made her way to her father's study, folding the letter so that only the last part was visible. While walking through the corridors, however, her mind was somewhere else entirely.

_The sorceress up north can wait. Elsa found herself someone! Oh, I must make sure to hear all the juicy gossip when I get to Arendelle. It's so unlike Elsa... A commoner AND a girl... And here I was thinking MY choices were unusual..._

Rapunzel had to hide her glee when she knocked on her father's door. After all, it would not do for her to make the impression she was happy about a sorceress waging war against Arendelle – and she wasn't about to let him read the first part of the letter.

* * *

Anna was panicking big time. It was her first ball! Sure, Elsa had told her not to expect too much of it when they had talked in the library yesterday. It would only be the representatives and their families. The only 'high nobility' that would be attending were Queen Elsa and Prince Hans. But still, it was her first ball!

Queen Elsa had graciously provided three gorgeous dresses to choose from. They were all rather simple, yet remarkably elegant. Gerda had insisted on trying them all on – something Anna wasn't going to object to, of course – and Anna eventually settled on a simple grey gown, with a single strap running over her left shoulder. It was decorated with little shiny stones, which reminded her of the first snowflakes of the year.

The party was being held in one of the smaller ballrooms, logical with only around 200 people attending, but Anna still marveled at the decorations displayed in the hall-like room. The ceiling was decorated with a large chandelier. Both sides of the ballroom were decorated with large trees made out of ice, their branches stretching out across the ceiling.

_I am so going to touch those_, Anna immediately thought as she walked in on her father's arm. _Although I probably shouldn't..._

Her father was immediately greeted by several men of middle age, their wives wrapped on their arms. Anna's attention, however, was split between watching Elsa in her brilliant gown, and checking out the chocolate pastries. Anna was quick to excuse herself and munch on the chocolate.

She had only just devoured her second piece of chocolate when she was approached by a man, maybe ten years older than she was. He smelled horribly, and his suit was clearly a few sizes too small – the buttons were under immense pressure, and there were creases in his clothing in places Anna was fairly certain they weren't supposed to be.

"So, ma'am, tell muh whut a prutty gurl loik yu sh du-iin hur?"

"Um, I'm sorry, what was that?"

He took a step closer to her. Anna had never cared much for personal space, but this was getting a little icky. "Oi wush jus wundrin if yu'd loik tu spend sum toim wimme."

If Anna really strained her ears, she could make out what this giant lump of a man was saying, but she felt like maybe that was a bad thing in itself. She never even knew there were people in Arendelle that talked like _that._

"Cus, yu know, yu's a rully noice lukin gurl an all."

"I'm terribly sorry, good sir," a voice came from behind Anna, accompanied by a hand on her arm. "But this lovely lass is unavailable."

Anna turned her head to find Prince Hans standing beside her, his most charming smile in place around his lips, yet his eyes betraying something different. Something one wouldn't want to get too familiar with. The lumpy man bowed and trailed off immediately.

"I'm _not_ taken," Anna huffed, momentarily forgetting Hans' status. "Your Highness!" she added hastily.

Hans merely smiled and waved it away. "I know that. But he doesn't have to, right?" His eyes had turned friendly again as he winked at her. "Mind me keeping you some company? I'm afraid Elsa is going to be greeting the nobles for a while longer..."

Anna helped herself to a few more pieces of chocolate before walking around the room with Prince Hans. "See that lady over there? That is Lady Owain, the wife of Lord Owain. Last year, she attended the Spring Celebrations in this very ballroom. Apparently, her maid hadn't been able to secure her bodice properly, and it let loose halfway during a dance."

Anna almost spat out her chocolate with laughter. Hans had already moved on to someone else. "That's Lord Pensing. He has a tendency to drink more than he can handle. He stumbled into the fountain during one of my birthday celebrations, I think it was three years ago? Didn't learn anything from it, and he still drinks like a Viking. And that, over there, the one that looks like a piglet in a dress? That's Lady Partik – she is the absolute pinnacle of vanity. She always carries two mirrors on her. Wants to make sure she can 'always ensure the integrity of her appearance.' When Elsa and I were little, we used to make a game out of stealing her mirrors off of her, then placing them back without her noticing it. I can assure you, the King was not amused when he found out..."

Anna could hardly stifle her laughter now. Hans had so many interesting tales to tell about anyone in the room – especially making fun of the nobles. Anna was actually having a good time, despite her realisation that there really weren't any special or important people around, and most of them were too old or stuffy to be of interest. His last tale, concerning Elsa's youth, however, gave her an appetite for more. Hans seemed to sense her interest, because he frowned slightly before continuing.

"When Elsa and I were eleven and ten – you see, I'm actually one year younger – we thought it would be... _fun_ to hide ourselves in the suits of armour near the main entrance. Every time a servant would walk by, we would spook them by suddenly jumping towards them. That was all very nice and well, until we actually scared a visiting Queen from Freybank into Valhalla. All suits of armour were removed from the palace until we were old and 'wise' enough not to have such fun again. Oh, and I _must_ tell you about the time Elsa led me into the forest. A few days before, I had stolen the last cookie of the platter, despite having promised that she could have it – I'm sure you know how persuasive Elsa can be – and she acted like everything was forgiven immediately. I should have known better, of course. Elsa can hold a grudge like no other if she so desires. Anyway, a few days later, she led me into the forest under the pretense of gathering flowers to surprise her mother. It seemed like a good idea... That is, until I was in the middle of the forest and Elsa was suddenly nowhere to be found. She had me wander around for half an hour, before showing up again. She only showed me out of the forest after I promised her she could have _all_ the cookies for the next month..."

Anna laughed heartily at Hans' storytelling. She occasionally glanced over to the Queen, who was still talking to nobles on the other side of the ballroom. After a while, they stopped near a bowl of punch. Anna noticed the trunk of the icy tree as soon as they came to a halt. While Hans was pouring two glasses, she looked over at the Queen and pressed a single finger against her creation.

The result was immediate. She recognized the feelings and was able to hide her reaction to them. However, when Elsa's head immediately whipped around to meet her eyes, despite having been in the middle of a sentence, Anna was suddenly overwhelmed by the sensation of her gaze on her. Before long, however, the Queen recovered and turned her attention back to a confused nobleman.

"That was a pretty mean thing to do," Hans smiled at her. "I think I like you, Ms. Oaken..."

Anna, suddenly bashful, turned her gaze to the floor. Hans merely chuckled. "Do not worry, I know about the _thing_ with the _stuff_ between you two..."

Anna looked up at him, his eyes searching her own, but not in a threatening or unfriendly way. "How?"

"I... make it my business to know things. But that is hardly an adequate answer, so let me provide a new one. Elsa told me."

"Oh. I see..."

Hans' smile widened at something she couldn't see. "Now, Ms. Oaken... I think you and I both know I was only here to entertain you until Elsa became available. I think that time is now. You should... go and talk to her."

And just like that he had disappeared behind a group of chatting men, who most certainly weren't nobles. Anna looked over and saw that Elsa had indeed finished her business with the nobles, now standing out and looking at the crowd with an empty expression. Glass of punch in hand, she zigzagged between the people to make her way to the most interesting person in the room.

And then there was suddenly someone in front of her. There was too little distance between them for Anna to be able to stop in time, and she crashed into him with force. She landed on her behind, rather unladylike she imagined. When she'd gotten back to her feet, muttering an apology, she noticed the man she had bumped into. Absolute horror set over her as she looked at Lord Orthal, a large pinkish stain on the front of his uniform.

"You!? How dare you, you little imp! First you embarrass me in front of _everyone_, then you coax the Queen into firing me with your lies and subterfuge, and now you embarrass me in my new position _AGAIN?!_"

The words didn't really sting. The hard slap she received across her cheek all the more. The force of Orthal's hand impacting with her cheek caused her head to swing around. Tears welled up in her eyes as the biting sensation set in.

Through her tears, she noticed a large shadow settling over her and Orthal. She'd recognise that shadow anywhere, and Orthal looked very scared as he looked up at Asger Oaken – easily the largest man at the ball. Then all heads turned away from them, as people shuffled aside. Orthal followed their gaze, and the look of fear on his face disappeared, only to be replaced with a look that Anna could not really classify – the best contenders being terror and panic. Anna, a little slow on the uptake, turned her head too, wiping the tears from her eyes, and immediate understood.

There, only a few feet away from them, stood the Queen. Not Queen Elsa, though. Not the regular Queen. No, this one was deserving of the title 'Ice Queen.' She looked positively frightening, glowering with a fire burning behind her eyes. If _this_ Elsa would ever appear in any of Anna's dreams, she'd classify it as a nightmare. No, a night terror even. Before she had even opened her mouth, everyone had cowered back several steps, including the bear that was her father.

"Eberhard Orthal," she spoke, her voice cold as ice and sharp as steel, "you have dishonoured yourself, your station and your family. I, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, First of my Name, hereby strip you of your titles as Baron of Valaher, Mayor of Glamveil and Chairman of the Council of Nobles. I also revoke your position on the aforementioned council. I strip you of your lands and possessions provided by the Crown. Guards, take him _out_ of my city, and make sure he _does not_ return."

Orthal had gotten paler and paler with every word passing the Queen's lips, and he had fallen to his knees when the guards pulled him up and escorted him away from the festivities. Elsa had already shifted her attentions, though, and her intimidating regal pose had fallen off of her as if it had never existed. She walked over to Anna and wrapped and arm around her shoulder, escorting her to the front of the ballroom as people slowly started talking to each other again. Anna was vaguely aware of her father and Prince Hans following them.

"Are you alright, Anna?" Elsa asked, her voice laced with concern.

Anna merely nodded mutely, still working to recover from the events that had just transpired. She felt Elsa's hand softly brushing her cheek and faintly noticed how Prince Hans maneuvered himself between them and the people. Before she could realise the oddity of the situation, she saw Elsa's hand light up a soft blue, and she immediately felt the chill calming the stinging on her cheek. Within seconds, the pain had receded to the back of her mind, making room for shyness as she realised the Queen was practically cupping her face.

Anna couldn't hold back a giggle as she watched the look of surprise on her father's face. Obviously, he hadn't known about the Queen's special powers either. After making sure she was alright, he walked off with Prince Hans, and Anna could swear she overheard the words _ice, important_ and _secret_ in close succession.

"So, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I am now..." Anna gave Elsa a brave smile as she took her arm and started walking around. "Don't you think you were maybe... a little harsh on him?"

Elsa looked at her incredulously. "He _slapped_ you, Anna. He slapped _you._"

The last part was a little surprising, especially considering the intonation, but Anna's mind involuntarily glanced over it, something else coming to mind as they walked past a woman Hans had told her about. "Is it true she always carries two mirrors?" Anna asked promptly, surprising herself with the sudden change of subject.

"Yes, it is. Who told you so?"

"Well, Hans was telling me childhood stories about the two of you, and-"

"Hans what now?" Elsa asked with wide eyes.

"He told me how you two used to take her mirrors and place them back? Don't worry! I won't tell anyone, like ever! And I think it's totally cute! Not in a weird way, of course..."

Elsa smiled, relaxing visible. "Well, to be completely honest, she isn't actually carrying any mirrors on her now," she smirked, revealing a small make-up mirror in the palm of her hand. Anna's eyes grew wide, and she followed Elsa's gaze. Near one of the ice trees she saw Prince Hans, still talking to her father, and subtly waving a little mirror behind his back.

"Mother and Father never knew, but Hans and I never really gave up on one of our favourite pastimes. We just improved..." Anna looked on with growing amazement as Hans and her father walked past the woman in the horrid pink dress, and even then she hardly noticed Hans slipping something back between the folds of the dress.

She couldn't help it. It was just so surreal. The Queen of Arendelle, and a Prince of the Southern Isles, picking the pockets of a visiting noble for sport. Not even the greatest mind could have come up with such a bold tale, surely? As she and Elsa sauntered back, and Elsa gently placed the mirror back on the poor woman's person, Anna had to fight the laughter bubbling in her stomach.

"I _do_ hope you were serious about not telling anyone," Elsa muttered, cocking an eyebrow. Anna nodded with a heavy swallow, after which Elsa seemed to relax again. "Now tell me, what other embarrassing stories did Hans tell you?"

"Only about scaring people with suits of armour, and you leaving him alone in the forest because of a cookie slight..."

Elsa giggled behind her hand. "Well, then I think the damage he did might be... containable."

"So, you did worse then?"

"Much..."

"Tell me!"

"I'd rather not..."

Anna didn't relent, staring up at Elsa with watery eyes – making sure not to blink – and a slight pout.

"Hans and I once took great steps to change the time on all the clocks in the castle. It took us all night to make sure we got them all... It would have been fun, had it not caused my parents to miss a meeting with the King and Queen of a neighbouring kingdom. I believe they boycotted Arendelle for trade for three years before they were over it... Hans and I got away, luckily... "

Anna giggled. She couldn't help but thinking that young Elsa was both adorable and mischievous – which might have made her even more adorable.

_Then again, adult Elsa is pretty adorable too_.

Elsa looked at her curiously, and for a moment, Anna was afraid she had thought out loud again. Luckily, Elsa merely shook her head slightly before walking on. After a while, they were joined at the chocolate table by Kai and Prince Hans.

"So, Elsa," Hans beamed. "How are you finding today's ball?"

"Rather dreary, safe for the mirror game and my current company," Elsa replied casually. Anna blushed feverishly.

"Well, sister, a dance usually cheers the evening up, no?"

"By Odin, Hans, I'm _not_ your sister... I don't very much feel like dancing with you now, Hans. And you _know_ I don't want to dance with anyone else here."

Hans' smile grew even wider. "Oh, I think there's _someone_ here you'd like to dance with, surely?"

Elsa hesitated. Anna had no idea what was going on, but she _did_ know Elsa hesitated.

Kai nodded enthusiastically. "And, Your Majesty, think of how sad Ms. Oaken must be. She practiced her steps with Gerda for most of the afternoon, hoping to be asked to dance by some royal..."

Well, that was true. Anna _had_ been practicing her dancing steps with the maid all morning, having had little else to do that day. Elsa had been in meetings all day long, preparing or the ball. She had hoped there would be some dashing gentleman asking for her hand in a dance.

_No such luck, I suppose._

Elsa sighed deeply. "Well then, Hans. You better ask Ms. Oaken for a dance, right?"

Hans raised his hands in mock defense. "Oh, no, no, sister. You're the highest nobility here. I'm certain she'd prefer to dance with you. Besides, you know I'm terrible on the floor."

"Firstly, I'm _not_ your sister. Secondly, you had the same dancing tutor I did, and you were remarkably good at it. Thirdly, you know full well that it would be ridiculous for me to go out there dancing with a _woman_."

Kai frowned, but Anna couldn't help thinking it looked a little off. "Well, I don't see why, Your Majesty. You have done it before... Remember? With Princess Rapunzel."

"That was different," Elsa immediately fired back. "There were _other _women dancing with each other already."

Hans' face lit up, and Kai looked rather pleased. Elsa groaned loudly. "Odin's beard, I took this conversation exactly where you wanted it to go, didn't I?"

Hans curtsied to Kai. "_Monsieur_, may I have this dance?"

Kai curtsied back, taking the offered hand and walking to the floor. Before they were out of earshot, Hans looked over his shoulder. "Please Elsa, don't let me be the only embarrassing figure tonight."

As the band started a new song, Kai and Hans took their positions and danced off across the floor, Kai taking the role as the lady in the dance, remarkably well, Anna thought. People were looking at them, pointing and laughing silently. Some of the nobles looked amused. Others merely annoyed or even irked. Elsa sighed deeply. _Very _deeply.

And then she turned to Anna, muttering: "I guess I really _can't_ have him be the only one embarrassing himself. Anna, would you care to dance?"

"Uh, yes?"

Anna took Elsa's hand, her grasp quite firm, as they walked to the dance floor. Kai and Hans were now the only couple waltzing around, and the murmur around them grew fiercer as people saw the Queen step onto the floor with a woman on her hand. Anna felt Elsa's arm settle around her, holding her firmly, and before she knew it they were dancing.

Anna had expected it to be uncomfortable. She expected the dresses to get in the way. She expected the reaction of the people to ruin the experience. She expected... anything but this.

Elsa led her expertly, swirling her across the floor as if it were nothing. And Anna completely forgot everything that was not either her feet, or Elsa. Eventually, once she had the rhythm down and was certain she was doing the steps right, she even forgot her feet. Her mind was completely zoned in on Elsa. This was much better than any dashing gentleman could have been...

She didn't notice her father looking at her with a happy and proud look. She didn't notice the other pairs – some traditional, some same-sex – coming to the floor. She didn't notice the seconds turning into minutes, and she didn't notice the music shifting from one piece to another. And judging by the look on Elsa's face, neither did she...


	6. Chapter 6

Elsa took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Immediately after, another deep intake of breath followed, with an equally deep exhale following after that. _Here goes nothing_, she though, willing her most stern expression onto her face without looking hostile.

In front of her, on the other side of the table, Kai, Gerda and Hans sat. Kai and Gerda both looked slightly apprehensive, but Hans had a smug look on his face, leaning back in his chair casually, arms folded over his chest.

"I'm not a fool," Elsa started, her voice calm and calculated. She liked to call it her Queenly voice, and it had served her well during many meetings. "And neither are you. I know you've been scheming. Some of the stories you've told me don't quite measure up with the truth. And all of these little schemes involve me and Ms. Oaken in one way or another."

She paused, giving the trio in front of her a warning look. "And you're going to stop this scheming. Not only is it an act of treason to lie to your Queen, it's also an affront to your duties. It simply won't do for me to be in the dark on _anything_, most of all my own personal life. I know I am at times reserved and private – but don't mistake it for loneliness. I'm capable of handling my own personal connections. And yes, I do enjoy my time with Anna, but the decision to spend time together should be _ours_ to make, not yours. Have I made myself clear?"

Kai and Gerda remained motionless, but Hans leaned forward onto the table, his brow furrowing and the expression on his face understanding. "Of course, Elsa. I don't really know what we were thinking. It was... uncouth of us to meddle in your affairs the way we did."

Elsa nodded. "Good. Then I can assume it won't happen again?"

"Not at all."

Elsa nodded while getting to her feet. "Good. Then you're dismissed. Kai, bring the paperwork for the Yule celebrations to my study, please. And ensure that the quarters for the DunBroch and Corona parties are prepared – they should arrive in the next few days."

Everyone nodded as they bustled out of the room. Elsa started making her way to her study, but stopped near a small courtyard. For a few minutes, she simply stood watching Anna and some of the younger servants play around with Albert – the goat Merida had sent her. They seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely, and for those few minutes, Elsa regretted being a Queen and not being able to join them in chasing the goat around.

In her study, she found the documents she had requested from Kai, and she started poring over them, occasionally making alterations or placing a signature. The Yule celebrations were going to be expensive, but nothing they couldn't afford. After all, it was Yule, and there would be many, many nobles to impress. The royal families of DunBroch and Corona being the most important. Then again, she had good relations with both kingdoms, so they would be happy even with a smaller celebration. But Weselton, the Emerald Isles, Foxcliff, Goldlake, Adylla, Galinnon, and Mardored would probably be expecting more. And then there were the Southern Isles. Hans' family was nothing like him – they had to potential to be such a massive pain in her royal butt...

Time passed quickly as she approved of menus, decorations, competitions, lodgings, caterers, guest lists and artists. Before she knew it, lunchtime had passed and she was distracted by a subtle knocking on her door. Before she could utter a word, Hans opened the door and stepped in delicately.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to apologise again. And I was hoping I could take your mind of business for a while and invite you to a little ride outside the city?"

Elsa looked out of the window. The past few days had been cold and wet, the usual weather when a northern wind blew in from the mountains. Today, however, it was sunny, dry, and relatively warm – the result of an unusual southern breeze blowing. Still, she hesitated. Today would be the last day Anna and her father were in the capital. She hadn't seen much of the energetic redhead since the ball two days ago. With her busy schedule, Elsa had only been able to make time for her after their dinner – time they had spent in the library, mostly.

Anna had really enjoyed being read to. And Elsa enjoyed both reading and being around Anna, which made reading to Anna an especially likable pastime. Anna's fascination with the many stories Elsa's library contained amused her greatly. So far, she had neglected the mention of the four other libraries spread throughout her castle...

"So, are you coming?" Hans spurred her on.

"Right. Uhm, sure?"

"No worries, Elsa. I'm certain we'll be back in time for you to spend your afternoon in the library with Ms. Oaken before she and her father leave for Hellmark tomorrow."

Hans grinned a charming, and slightly disturbing, smile. It showed something in his eyes that Elsa could not quite name. She had seen that look before – and it usually resulted in trouble – but she had learned to just go with it. If it was a wild horse race he wanted, she would be happy to oblige. Not like they hadn't done it before, after all...

* * *

The horse riding had been a good idea. The temperature was pleasant, and the air was silent around the two of them as their mounds trotted down a sandy path between two open fields. She had proposed riding through the forest, maybe even going to the river, but Hans had been afraid that his fancy suit – who wore a fancy suit on a horse ride? – would be ruined by snow falling from the trees.

"So, DunBroch and Corona will be arriving tomorrow or the day after?" Hans started the conversation again, after a lull having lasted for some fifteen minutes.

"The harbourmaster seems to think so, based on the wind and... stuff."

"Looking forward to seeing Rapunzel and Merida?"

"Yes, very much in fact. Are _you_ looking forward to seeing your family again?"

"No."

"Have you told your father about our... situation yet?"

"No. I thought it better not to confide such information to letters. I'll discuss it somewhere during the Yule celebrations. Should put a damper on his mood – which will be good for my mood," Hans muttered darkly.

Elsa chuckled. "Such family spirit. At least not all of your brothers will be coming, right?"

"No, only the two oldest, along with my father. Bad enough as it is, though..."

Suddenly, Hans seemed to perk up. "Oh _my!_ Would you _look_ at _that? _Gerda! Ms. Oaken! What a _coincidence _we come across you here!"

Elsa whipped her head around in the direction Hans was looking. And, indeed, there were Gerda and Anna, both astride one of the stable horses. _Coincidence... uh-huh. Sure. That seems bloody likely. _As they neared the duo, Elsa glanced over their faces. Gerda looked somewhat apprehensive, probably because she was defying a direct order from her Queen. Anna looked... elated, ecstatic, overjoyed and ... something Elsa couldn't name.

When they reached them, Hans looked over at her. "Elsa, dear. I would never be so rude as to impose on your own spare time, or be so... uncouth as to interfere with your personal life – but maybe it is an idea to finish our ride together, the four of us? The decision is, of course, _entirely_ yours – we could just abandon – I mean _leave _– these lovely ladies here and continue on our own..."

Elsa sighed deeply. Gerda smiled gently, but Anna actually looked worried now. Elsa smiled her warmest smile at her – effortlessly, oddly enough – before answering. "No, of course we will do no such thing. It should be _fun_ to ride together. And then, when we get home, Hans _dear_, you and I need to have a _serious_ talk."

Elsa glared at him, but the glint in his eyes betrayed that he was not impressed. "And I _may_ just have to fire some of my servants..." she muttered under her breath. Kai and Gerda had practically raised her, so she wouldn't ever make true on that threat. They both knew it too.

Hans immediately turned his horse to ride next to Gerda. "Gerda, lovely Gerda. I've been meaning to ask you the recipe for that delicious cake you made a few days ago. You know, the one with the cherries?"

Hans and Elsa knew that was one of the ways to get Gerda talking and make sure that she would _keep _talking for as long as she was allowed. Elsa was very aware of Hans' plan – forcing her to talk to Anna. Not like that was really a bad thing – but they had set her up _again_. And she didn't even feel angry.

Anna looked a little downcast, keeping her eyes on the trail as they rode. "Something the matter, Anna?"

"No..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes..."

Elsa shook her head slowly. "Anna. Please... tell me what's wrong?"

Anna sighed too. "If you didn't want to spend time with me, you could have just told me..."

_What?_ "Anna, what on Earth gave you the idea I didn't want to spend time with you?"

"Well, you did. Just now. You didn't exactly look happy to see us... See me..."

"Ah, I see. You're quite mistaken, Anna. I am actually very happy to spend more time with you – especially considering you're leaving tomorrow. It's just that... Well... Hans and my servants have been plotting behind my back, trying to get me to spend more time with you out of a misplaced idea on my loneliness. That's what I'm not happy about. But that has absolutely _nothing_ to do with you. I assure you, spending time with you is something I enjoy very much."

"Really?"

"Really, Anna. I don't have many friends – especially in my own kingdom, but you are definitely one of them."

That seemed to cheer Anna up plenty. "Uhm, are we still on for the reading date later today? And when I say date, I don't mean date as in date. More like a date as a meeting between two people who really like each other and – Never mind."

Elsa laughed softly. "Yes, Anna. We're still on for our reading date. I should probably be focusing on my paperwork, but I'll do that tomorrow and spend my evening with you. I already have a book in mind, if that's alright with you?"

"Oh yes! You know your library best!"

"Well, I'll need to go get it from a different library, but yes..."

"Different library?"

"Yes, there's one in the west tower, one in the basement, the one on the third floor we've been visiting regularly..."

"You have more than one library?" Anna asked with wide eyes.

"Well, yes, of course. I live in a _castle_, Anna. What did you expect? I also have three ballrooms, four kitchens, over thirty bedrooms and bathrooms... But now I'm just bragging, which is very impolite. Apologies."

"I think it's awesome, Elsa. I'd love to live in a castle..."

_Well, there's an idea_, Elsa thought. She immediately forced the thought from her mind. _She's a commoner and a woman, Elsa. _

"So," she started, very intent on changing the subject. "What did you think of the ball? We didn't really have a talk about that..."

"I _really_ enjoyed myself. Well, except for the Orthal business, of course. But that wasn't your fault! You were totally awesome. And who knew you could dance like that! I mean, whew, that was intense. And I had a total blast!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Elsa smiled. "I was afraid you might actually be bored."

"Well, not thanks to you and Hans! I mean, yeah, the rest was pretty boring... Not exactly how I imagined. You know, Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses..."

"I warned you about that. The representatives ball was nothing like the annual Yule celebrations."

"I wish I could be there, but it's a 'nobility only' thing, right?"

"I'm afraid so, yes..."

Elsa had actually considered inviting Anna, but that would be... weird. People would start asking questions, and not everyone would be so open-minded about their Queen hanging out with a farmer's daughter.

A little ahead of them, Hans and Gerda were dismounting, tying their horses to a low branch of a large oak. Noticing Elsa's questioning look, Hans smiled broadly. "Gerda brought lunch! We thought a picnic might be lovely?"

"You planned this whole thing, did you not?"

"Well, yes," Hans admitted.

"You promised not to..."

"No, I didn't. You asked whether you could assume we wouldn't do anything anymore, and I answered with 'absolutely not,' as in 'you can absolutely not assume that.'

Elsa sighed as she helped Anna dismount. "What will I do with you, Hans?"

"Love me dearly?"

Elsa released an exasperated grunt, but dropped herself down on the plaid anyway. Gerda was already pouring tea for four and passing around sandwiches.

"Well, Ms. Oaken, would you like more childhood stories?"

Anna, of course, nodded vigorously while Elsa released another grunt.

Gerda piped up immediately. "Oh, oh! Tell her about the pony!"

Hans started chuckling. "Right. Yes, that would be a good one to start with. When Elsa was six, she got a pony as a birthday gift from some foreign nobles, possibly Corona, I'm not sure. She was completely smitten with the animal. Come nightfall, she had taken her pillow and blanket to the stables, set on sleeping there with her 'new best friend.' Her father ordered her to her room, and after some arguing she relented. Somehow, she managed to take the pony with her – led it all the way to her room through the castle without anyone noticing... Gerda found it there the following morning. She was so shocked she couldn't work for the rest of the day."

"Father was _so_ angry with me that time," Elsa remembered out loud. "He actually took the pony away from me..."

Gerda smiled wistfully. "I also remember a particular sleep-over with two enigmatic princesses..."

Elsa smiled. "Yes. Merida and Rapunzel were my best friends – still are, really – but we weren't together very often, Merida being the princess of DunBroch and Rapunzel of Corona. I think we were eleven when they all visited for my birthday. They would only be in Arendelle for two days – much to our chagrin. We... We decided to run away together, in the middle of the night..."

Hans smiled as he leaned back. "Yes, I remember that... Total panic in Arendelle. The girls actually managed to stay missing for three whole days."

"Yeah. Merida had brought her bow," Elsa continued. "She hunted for food. Rapunzel is a genius in a kitchen. She prepared the meat and gathered herbs... I made us a little hut of ice and snow, and we were happy. It was sort of like camping out in the woods – except for the knowledge that our parents would be looking for us."

"What happened when they found you?" Anna asked breathlessly.

"Well, at first they were overjoyed, of course... And then all hell broke loose. I think that was the worst scolding I've had my entire life. House arrest for a year, no Summer Harvest, Yule, All Hallow's Eve, or any other celebrations. Absolutely no contact with Rapunzel and Merida. No contact with anyone, other than my personal servants and my parents, really..."

"Gee, can you blame them, sis?" Hans asked with an amused grin.

Elsa cocked a single eyebrow. "Well then, let's talk about that time you 'repainted' all the paintings in the royal gallery, adding moustaches and beards to the women and applying 'make-up' to the men. You cost my parents several thousand gold pieces, remember?"

Hans laughed boisterously. "Oh my! You and I remember that particular event very differently. If I recall correctly, you were there with me the whole time."

"Only to talk you out of it," Elsa pouted. Hans grinned wickedly. "Yes, during the first three paintings, maybe. After that you were... all too happy... to suggest alterations to some of the portraits..."

Elsa blushed as she muttered an answer. "Fair enough..."

By that time, Anna was laying on her back, laughing maniacally and clutching her sides. Hans and Gerda, however, were far from done. Elsa leaned back a little, enjoying Anna's mirth.

"Elsa used to be such a bother," Hans continued. "She'd slip into meeting rooms full of officials – somehow remaining unnoticed, and suddenly make it snow. _Heavily_. Or she'd create these little ice cubes and slide them down people's backs when they weren't paying attention. There were a few weeks during which city officials were so apprehensive, they wore woolen cloaks and winter equipment, even during their meetings with the king."

Anna started laughing even harder, tears now rolling down her cheeks. Elsa sent a blast of cold air towards Hans, his eyebrows and hair suddenly turning white with frost. "That's enough, _Your Highness_," she scowled playfully.

Gerda nodded in understanding as Anna recovered from her laughing spell. She still clutched at her side, occasionally snickering softly. The entire sight was just too adorable for Elsa. She was starting to regret her decision to be a responsible Queen and not pursue Anna romantically. She knew she wanted to. But she couldn't.

The older woman cleared her throat. "So, Ms. Oaken, you are returning to Hellmark tomorrow? Is that not a little unpractical?"

Anna merely looked up at her, evidently confused.

"Well, you would have to return next week again, right?"

Elsa immediately cut in. "Anna won't be at the Yule celebrations."

Gerda and Hans looked at one another in surprise – clearly they had not expected that. For a moment, Elsa felt good about ruining their little plans, but then she noticed the downcast look on Anna's face, and remembered the aim of their meddling. _Honestly? I haven't felt this bad in years..._

"Unfortunately, the Yule celebrations are only attended by higher nobility. Much as I like Ms. Oaken, having her there would cause confusion and discontent among the attending parties. It simply wouldn't do."

She had meant to explain herself, but Anna only grew sadder and sadder. Hans straightened his back.

"Elsa, surely, as the Queen you could-"

"Can we go home?" Anna suddenly interrupted. "I'm... getting cold."

Gerda, ever prepared for emergencies, produced a blanket from one of her saddle bags. "Here you go, dear."

"No, thanks. I'd just like to go back now, if that's alright."

The ride back to the castle was mostly spent in silence, Anna riding next to Gerda with her head bent downwards, and Hans occasionally sending Elsa not-so-subtle accusing looks. She wasn't happy about the situation, but there was nothing she could do about it. _They have to understand that, right? Right?_

* * *

A few hours later, she found herself sitting in the library, one of her favourite books ready on the table in front of her. She had brought a large supply of hot chocolate, and lit the hearth to drive the chill out of the large dusty room. She was intent on making Anna's last night at the castle as enjoyable as possible.

There was a knocking at the door, and Elsa's stomach immediately lunged. That wasn't Anna's knock. Anna had a soft, timid and melodic knock. This was a simple servant's knocking. Surely enough, a young man stepped inside after her call, handing her a small slip of paper.

_Your Majesty,_

_I would not want to keep you from your royal duties, and have thus decided I won't be attending this evening's reading appointment in the library. You let slip you had paperwork to take care of, and I understand that matters of state are of greater importance than a common farming girl._

_Ms. Oaken_

Elsa stared at the letter. It was impersonal. It was distant. It was cold. Three words she'd never associated with Anna before. She could almost feel the effort it must have taken her to write a note like this one. After several minutes, she noticed the servant still standing next to her, waiting for her response. When she got ready to stand, he suddenly spoke.

"Ms. Oaken has asked me to convey that she had turned in for today."

The implication was clear. _Don't come and see me. I don't want to see you_. Elsa sighed as she dismissed the servant. She took the book and the hot chocolate, threw some of the sand from the bag besides the hearth onto the fire, and left the library. She drained the hot chocolate down the sink in the first bathroom she encountered, leaving the cups out in the hallway for a servant to find. On her way to her own chambers, she took a detour to pass by Anna's chambers. There was no light shining underneath the door, and she couldn't hear anything inside. She left the book next to the door, and walked away. Sadness and anxiety the dominant feelings in her heart.

* * *

She sat on her throne, slightly slumped. Boredom had overtaken her this morning, and she had no idea how to get rid of it. A single tress of her long, dark hair was wrapped around her finger, toying with it thoughtlessly. She was almost happy when the door to the throne room opened and a small group of guards walked in. Almost.

They walked closer as she made sure to correct her posture. She also willed some dark mist into existence around her and her throne. She had been told it made her look _mysterious_. Not that these men cared about that anymore.

"Milady," the eldest of the men started, falling to his knee. "Unfortunately, the assignment in Foxcliff was not as successful as we had hoped, and expected."

She got up slowly, the mist following every movement of her body. She felt the anger rising in her stomach. "You mean to tell me...?" Her words were accompanied by the black mist flowing backwards, taking the shape of two large, bat-like wings on her back, spreading from wall to wall.

The men looked at her, clearly frightened out of their wits. "We've got it, it's downstairs."

_Well, good._ The mist returned to its normal state, swirling around her feet and knees. "Then what's the problem?"

"We lost nearly thirty men, Milady."

_Oh._

"They gave their life for our cause and died with honour, I'm sure," she muttered disinterestedly. Thirty lives was a small price to pay. Still, it was more than she was used to losing on a single assignment. _Well, no matter_.

"Is it secure?"

"Yes, Milady."

"Good. I'll go and see it later. Dismissed."

The men got up and left. She was about to leave herself, when she heard a familiar footfall behind her. She willed her mist away entirely. _Not like it's going to do my any good now_.

"Milady?"

She turned around, facing the large man kneeling behind her. He looked up at her unabashedly, a clear look in his eyes. She didn't see that look very often when she was around. Only in him. Then again, he was the _only_ one immune to her mist...

"Yes, Gregor?"

"Word from Freybank. They've surrendered to us."

"Good. Anything else?"

"We sent out operatives to Corona, Arendelle, Weselton and the Southern Isles. We're still looking for a way into DunBroch and the other western kingdoms."

"Very well. Would you accompany me to the dungeons? I have some... business to attend to."

An understanding smile spread across Gregor's face. "With pleasure, Milady."

* * *

Elsa was sitting in her study. She had been for hours. But she wasn't getting any work done. Her thoughts were with Anna, who had left earlier that morning. She had been ready to see her of at ten – the time Anna and her father had planned to leave. She had waited at the gates for half an hour, guards looking at her oddly. Only then had Kai come for her, telling her that, on Anna's insistence, they had left an hour earlier.

_I messed up_, Elsa thought as she stared out of the window. _I totally, completely, absolutely screwed up. And there is nothing I can do about it because I'm just following these damned rules. Gah, rules. _

She had really wanted to invite Anna to the Yule celebrations. _Really_. But it would be unacceptable. People would wonder what a 'lowly commoner' was doing among royalty. It would be hard to explain, and awkward, and odd. People wouldn't understand...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the chiming of a bell. She focused her gaze on the fjord, immediately spotting the two ships slowly coming towards them. Without difficulty she crafted a spyglass with her powers. _DunBroch and Corona_. _Leave it to Rapunzel and Merida to arrive at the same time..._

She knew Kai would already be preparing for their arrival, so she could spare a little more time watching the ships pull into the docks. She smiled as she noticed both ships aiming for the same place at the pier. Her spyglass was good enough to notice a swirl of red on the DunBroch ship running towards the wheel. Suddenly, the ship steered in violently, nearly cutting the Corona ship off. She also saw a blonde figure reaching the Corona wheel, after which the ship suddenly pulled back and started drifting to another spot.

_That's Merida and Rapunzel alright..._

Elsa was still chuckling when she started making her way to the throne room to greet her friends and their family. When she got there, her face all stoic again, she found a large group of guards lines up against the walls and the walkway, banners with DunBroch and Corona colours hanging from the walls, Kai standing next to the door and Hans standing behind her throne. With a theatrical sigh, she lowered herself onto the royal seat.

There were a few minutes of organized chaos before everyone was in position. After two or three more minutes, a page entered via a side door, exchanging some words with Kai. The royal steward shot her a quick glance and took his position as Elsa nodded.

"Presenting the Royal Majesties King Fergus and Queen Elinor of DunBroch!"

The doors opened, and the King and Queen strode in. Elsa always thought they were an odd couple – the gigantic king with the much smaller queen, who, despite appearances, was definitely the boss of the two. After a few steps, Kai opened his mouth again. "Presenting the Royal Highness Princess Merida of DunBroch!"

Merida came striding in as if she owned the place, and soon joined her parents.

"Presenting the Royal Majesties King Corin and Queen Helga of Corona!"

Elsa smiled kindly as they walked into her throne room, more reserved than the DunBroch party had been. Elsa supposed that was just in their nature. Frankly, it was hard to be less reserved than King Fergus...

"Presenting the Royal Highnesses Princess Rapunzel and Prince-Consort Eugene of Corona!"

Rapunzel came in on the arm of her husband, who looked rather uncomfortable with his newfound position as royalty. Elsa couldn't remember the details, but he had been a commoner before her married Rapunzel.

Both the DunBroch and Corona party stood before the dais on which her throne was situated, and they all bowed their heads to her in respect. She got up and spread her arms.

"Welcome to Arendelle, friends and family. We are delighted to host you during our Yule celebrations. Please know that we will provide whatever you desire. Chambers have been prepared for you, your guards and your servants."

Queen Elinor was the first to respond. "Thank you, your Majesty, for your kindness and hospitality. We are honoured to have been invited. My husband and I would like to retire for the time being – it has been a long journey." Rapunzel's parents nodded in agreement, as did Prince Eugene. But both princesses were vigorously shaking their heads behind their backs.

Elsa smiled. "Very well. My servants will show you your rooms."

The royal parties left the throne room again, Merida and Rapunzel both staying behind. "Everyone dismissed," she called when the Kings and Queens had left. She led Merida and Rapunzel away through a small door behind a curtain, ending up in a small office. Before the door had even closed, she was tackled in a massive bear hug, the entire scene decidedly not royal.

One they were all seated, Merida burst loose. "So lass, tell me this embarrassing story of yours! I'm up for a wee laugh," she bellowed. Elsa smiled fondly, while also furrowing her brow. Rapunzel cocked an eyebrow. "Is this what you told me about in your last letter?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes. I didn't want Merida to miss out on the chance to laugh at me." She turned her attention to the redhead. "And it's good to see you too, Merida. Do we really need to get down to business right away?"

Rapunzel shook her head, causing her hair to sway violently. "No, no. This isn't business. This is gossip. And I need to know the details too, so spill it Blondie!"

"You're on to talk, _Blondie_," Elsa scowled. But, seeing the focused gazes of both her friends aimed at her, she inhaled deeply. "Fine. During my public campaign through the kingdom, we stayed in Hellmark, a small village up north... Unplanned stay-over, really. I had dinner at Oaken Farm, with Mr. Oaken, a bear of a man – larger than your father, Merida – and his two children. Kristoff, a typical farming boy who is somewhat uncomfortable around royalty, and... And Anna."

Rapunzel squealed. "Anna let me sleep in her bedroom, camping outside not to indispose me. And... in those few hours I knew her... I... Uhm... Well..."

"Yes, lass? Spill it already!"

"I might have fallen in love..."

Rapunzel hummed appreciatively, but Merida leant back in her chair, laughing so loud Elsa feared the entire castle could hear it. "ELSA! You fell in love?! With a common farming girl? Miss high and mighty, rules are rules, do everything by the book?! Fell in love with... Bwahaha!"

Elsa waited patiently, knowing her voice would not be able to carry over Merida's. After some minutes Merida became more quiet, and Elsa continued her story. "I met her again a few weeks later, six or seven I think? She was actually nearly assaulting one of my guards with my hairbrush, which I left behind as a gift... I helped her out with an obnoxious noble who wouldn't grant them a new lease for their farm... Had her and her brother stay at the castle, rather than a barn... And then her father became the Mayor of Hellmark, and I had her here again for a week. We've grown quite close. She also does something to my magic, but I'll explain that some other time."

"When will we meet her?" Rapunzel asked. "She'll be attending Yule, right?"

Elsa coughed, a lump suddenly in her throat. "Well, er... No. She won't. She left for Hellmark already."

"WHAT?" Merida yelled. "WHY?"

"I... uh... told her she couldn't attend the Yule celebrations."

Rapunzel tsk'ed. "Why would you do that?"

"I'm the Queen of Arendelle. I can't just bring a farming girl to Yule."

Merida and Rapunzel looked at each other, immediately after which two devious grins spread across their faces. "Oh no," Elsa muttered. She knew what was going to happen.

Rapunzel got up, gathered something from a nearby cabinet and placed them on the desk. A feather, parchment, and an inkwell. Merida now stood behind her, placing her hands on her shoulders.

"You, see, lass... you've made a wee bit of a mistake here. But we're going to fix this."

"How?" Elsa gawked.

Rapunzel smiled. "You're going to court this Anna. During the Yule celebrations."

"I what now? Come again? Actually, no, don't. You two are mad. Always have been."

Merida forced the feather into her hand. "And you better believe it! Now start writing and invite her back here. We'll explain the rest later!"

"But the rules-"

"You're the Queen, lass. You make the rules."

Rapunzel smirked. "And today you break them too."

* * *

**Alright, so I deliver to you one more chapter before the new year starts! I hope you enjoyed, it will be the last thing from my hand this year. Yule celebrations are up next (no worries, Anna will be there!) and it will span 7 days (most of it is written, but if you have suggestions, I could definitely use some!) Thanks for everyone's incredible support. You people make me feel so very very good all the time! :) Please be safe, and see y'all next time around!  
**

**Also, I'm actually fairly peeved about this chapter. Not what I had in mind at all, but I really felt like I couldn't improve on it anymore... Apologies if you didn't like it... :(  
**


	7. Chapter 7

Anna was brushing down her favourite horse with a heavy heart. She had been back in Hellmark for three days now, and slowly but surely, she had started to realise that she had made a grave mistake. She had enjoyed spending time with Elsa _so _much, and now she had ruined it. And for what? Her childish sense of importance!

True, Elsa made her feel important. In fact, Elsa made her feel like she was the _most_ important. And she had enjoyed that, basked in it even. And then, when reality had been pushed in her face and Anna was forced to acknowledge that there were more important people than her, and that life was in fact _not _a fairy tale, she had been sad, and angry, and frustrated. And worst of all? She had taken it out on Elsa.

And now she was back home, with no chance of reconciling with Elsa. Besides, she'd be too busy to even miss her, probably. _No, Elsa is not like that._ _But then again, Yule is the perfect occasion for her to find Prince Charming and get married and have a child and then another and another and grow old an happy and... Whoa, slow down there, me. It's just a silly party. I didn't want to go anyway. _

_Pfft, who am I trying to fool._

"Yoo hoo! Anna?"

Anna closed her eyes shut. Ever since they had returned to Hellmark, her father and Kristoff had been cheerful. Too much so. Probably to make up for Anna's less than stellar mood, but it only served to annoy her. Thus she had taken to avoiding them as much as possible. Her father's voice sounded distant but clear, which probably meant he was at the house.

Less than half a minute went by before Anna heard her brother's footsteps trudging outside. She slunk back into the shadows, remaining out of view for his prying eyes. After a while, she heard him stomping back to the house as well.

"YOO HOO ANNA! GET OVER HERE NOW OR NO FOOD TONIGHT, YA?"

_Oh boy, that can't be good_.

On her way to the house, she was frantically thinking up excuses, and she had seven of them prepared when she rounded the corner. They suddenly slipped her mind, being replaced by confusion on the scene in front of her. The entire street was filled with people. She recognized some of them as people from Hellmark, but most of them appeared to be Royal Guards. She even recognized a few insignias that weren't Arendelle's. At the door, near her father and brother, she noticed Kai, standing in wait with a man in an official costume standing behind him.

"Ah, Ms. Oaken," he smiled as she timidly walked up to them. "I have a letter from the Queen."

_A letter from the Queen?_

He handed her a scroll of parchment, sealed with a blue-wax seal featuring a snowflake. She broke the seal and slowly unrolled the scroll.

_Dearest Anna,_

_Before anything else, I need to offer my apologies. It was never my intention to make you feel unwanted or insignificant. That being said, I do understand how my actions might have done just that._

_While, according to regulations, only royalty and high nobility can attend the Yule celebrations, it was a mistake to send you away like I did. I had some (involuntary) council from friends, and it seems to have brought me back to my senses._

_I refused to invite you for all the wrong reasons. Rules and regulations are important, but only if they serve their purpose. Despite me wanting you to attend Yule, I pushed you away. Now I'd like to rectify that mistake:_

_Miss Anna Oaken, I, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, hereby invite you to attend the Yule celebrations at Arendelle castle as my honoured guest._

_Should you choose to accept the invitation, General Torvak will escort you in one of my royal carriages. Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to invite your entire family – just inviting you will already be a scandalous thing to do. Of course, I'd understand if you'd rather spent Yule in Hellmark, with your father and brother._

_I hope to see you again soon, Anna._

_Forever yours,_

_Elsa_

Anna swallowed a few times, and for some reason she felt tears welling up in her eyes. She looked at her father. He smiled and silently mouthed 'go!' to her. Behind him, Kristoff stood nodding fiercely, holding up his two thumbs.

She nodded to Kai, who seemed delighted. "Good. You won't need to take anything with you. Everything you might need will be provided for you. Just go and take a seat in the carriage, Miss."

Anna nodded, said her goodbyes to her family, and walked over to the carriage. Before she could get in, the official-looking man stopped her. "Miss? I'm General Torvak. I've been tasked with keeping you safe on your journey to Arendelle Castle. Unfortunately, highwaymen occasionally attack the royal carriages, hoping for good loot, or possibly a ransom target. Nothing to worry about, as you can see I have plenty of men. The Queen insisted on that. Just try and keep the curtains closed. This is Commander Einhard, from the Corona military. He will be joining you. Please follow his every command in the event of an attack or ambush."

Anna nodded again, taking her seat in the carriage. A servant immediately offered her a glass of cool water. The journey was a pleasant one; there was food and drink, provided by the servant, and the Coronan soldier told her stories of his homeland – in turn listening to her stories about Hellmark with amusement.

"So," Anna asked after a few hours. "Why's a Corona commander babysitting me?"

The man laughed. "I'm Princess Rapunzel's personal guard, and she asked me to accompany you. With all the Yule Celebrations being prepared, Queen Elsa could not spare most of her own men."

"Princess Rapunzel sent you?"

"Yes, Miss Oaken. You must be pretty important. From what I can tell, General Torvak is a legend amongst Arendelle soldiers... Princess Merida even ordered ten of her best archers to accompany us, despite the small chances of us even being attacked.

All the new information made Anna's head swim. _Okay, sure, I wanted to feel important. But really? Isn't this a little overdone?_

Three knocks on the window alerted them to the fact that they had reached the city's outer wall, which meant Anna was allowed to open the curtains. She hardly recognized the city – a fresh layer of snow covered every flat surface. Pine trees had been placed on nearly every street corner, decorated with reds and yellows and gold and silver and blue and purple and – well, every colour Anna could think of, and then some. Most of the houses had wreaths on their doors or in front of their windows, and the many lanterns gave the city a romantic atmosphere.

Once Anna had taken all that in, her eye fell on her escort. There were twenty Arendelle soldiers marching around the carriage, and twenty more soldiers on horseback, their chest plates adorned with a bright yellow sun. _Corona._ Between all those men, seemingly disorganized, rode several men and women with yet another decoration on their armours: four intertwining circles with a sword in the middle of them. _Those must be the DunBroch_ _archers_, Anna thought, looking at the large bows on their backs.

_Definitely overdone._

The carriage rode her all the way into a courtyard of the castle, and only then the crowd of soldiers around it started dispersing. Anna was helped out of the carriage, where General Torvak and Commander Einhard bowed to her before walking off as well. _Well, that was surreal_.

"Ms. Oaken, lovely to have you back, dear!" Gerda's voice rang behind her. She turned around to see the woman hurrying towards her, a small army of servants trailing behind her. "I'll escort you to your chambers, dear. Then we need to get you ready for tonight. No disrespect to Queen Elsa, but the two of you have been cutting it awfully close."

"Uh, what?"

"The ball, child. The start of the Yule celebrations is always a ball, and it is tonight! So we have only a few hours to get you ready! Now, follow me, dear. Follow me!"

Anna had to jog to be able to keep up with Gerda, who was remarkably fast, considering her age. She had expected to be led to the room she had occupied before, but to her surprise, they had to climb a lot more stairs than she was used to. After a while, Gerda noticed her questioning glances. "Don't worry dear. Your usual chambers are currently occupied by the Duke of Weselton. The Queen has ordered us to prepare chambers in the royal wing on the third floor for you."

"Royal wing?" _That doesn't sound good._

"Yes, dear. A bit odd, frankly. The entire north wing of the third floor is occupied by royalty. The kings and queens of Corona and Dunbroch have their chambers there, as do their children, of course. The delegation from the Southern Isles, and the Princess of Foxcliff as well. Oh, and Queen Elsa herself of course. You will be occupying the last remaining chambers."

"Oh..."

If Anna had believed her previous chambers impressive, which she had, she wouldn't know how to classify this. It was at least twice the size, featuring its own fireplace, as well as a bookshelf. There was a door to an adjoining private bathroom, where she found a regular bathtub fit for a giant, as well as a more luxurious bathtub with the option of creating bubbles in the water.

"I hope it is to your liking, Miss," one of the servants curtsied. "Queen Elsa decorated the bookshelf herself. If any of the books need replacing, you have her permission to peruse the library on the third floor – the key is in the top drawer of the vanity." She curtsied again.

"Um... Thanks?"

Gerda smiled. "These six servants are yours for the duration of the Yule celebrations, Miss Oaken. They are the best of the best – the Queen had us make sure."

_Six servants? For me? Gosh, what will I have all of them do? I'm not that bothersome..._

"We'll prepare a bath, Miss Oaken," one of the servant girls offered, hurrying off to the bathroom. Anna heard running water. Gerda waved cheerfully before hurrying off again – probably seeing to one of her many other duties. That just left her with... her platoon of servants, who all looked at her patiently.

Anna was distracted by a knock on the door. With an asking glance, one of the servants opened the door, revealing a young boy – around eight years of age – carrying a letter. "Letter from Queen Elsa for Miss Oaken," he proclaimed dutifully.

Anna accepted the letter, broke the seal, and unfolded it.

_Dear Anna,_

_Welcome back to Arendelle Castle. I'm very glad to hear you've decided to join us. By the time you get this letter, you've probably figured out that I've been... tinkering with your status in society. You're not a noble, but you should be treated as such nonetheless._

_If there is anything you need – anything at all – you need only ask one of your servants. Alternatively, you can write a letter, sign it with your name, and seal it with the stamp you'll find on your bookshelf. I have taken the liberty of designing a seal for you – temporary, of course._

_Unfortunately, I'm quite busy at the moment, but I will come and find you at tonight's ball. A few words of warning: people will wonder what you're doing here, you not being a noble and all. Just... ignore them. I'll deal with them as soon as possible. Also, be wary of a small man, glasses, and an obviously-fake toupee. He's the Duke of Weselton, and he is peeved because I gave his room to you..._

_Forever yours,_

_Elsa_

Anna walked over to her bookshelf, finding the seal without trouble. She looked at the stamp's surface, immediately recognizing the image there. It was a Griffin. She smiled to herself as she scribbled a quick note, asking the kitchens to give the young page a small treat, signing it with her name and sealing it with her new toy.

Anna undressed and lowered herself in the fancy bathtub, immediately fiddling with the bubble mechanism. It was an odd sensation, but it was also oddly relaxing, once she got used to it. As she lay back, she let all the stress and worry seep out of her body. Well, almost all of it...

_How will I ever come face to face with Elsa? I behaved like a spoiled little brat last time I saw her... Then I stood her up for our reading date... I'd be totally angry if I were her... And instead of me manning up, she is actually the one taking the first step. I'm such a screw-up. Don't I know it... I mean, I could have written a letter or something, couldn't I? But no, instead, I chose to wallow in my self-pity._

Her semi-relaxing bath was ended all too soon by a soft knock on the bathroom door. "Miss, if you are almost done, we can start preparing you for tonight's ball?"

"Coming!" Anna bellowed. A few minutes later, she walked into the room again, still towelling her hair.

One of the servants took a long bag from the closet. "Shall we fit the dress, Miss?" she asked gingerly.

Anna could merely nod. She felt like she had lost the ability to speak, and it might be a while longer before she'd find it again. _If ever..._

She nodded again, as if she needed to convince herself, before walking over to the girl holding the dress. "The Queen picked this one herself, Miss. But if you were to prefer one of the others, that'd be fine too."

"Others? How many are there?"

The girl looked at one of the other servants, who peered into the closet. "Eleven, miss."

_Eleven?! Damn..._

Anna allowed two of the servant girls to help her into the dress, hardly getting a chance to look at it properly. All she knew was that it was blue. She couldn't even decide on a shade of blue. But she was certain she'd get a chance to look in the mirror once they had finished snaring her up.

When she finally stood in front of the giant mirror, she was in awe. The dress was indeed blue. It was nothing like the simple gowns she was used to. The corset was a deep navy blue, as was the upper part of the skirt. A silver line, fashioned out of tiny embroidered snowflakes, ran from the left side of her corset down to the right hem of the skirt, and underneath that line, the blue slowly faded into a lighter shade, until it was nearly white on the left hem of the skirt. The corset was high-backed, running up to her neck where it formed a high collar, but still leaving her shoulders bare. It fitted perfectly, showing off her feminine curves, without being raunchy or inappropriate.

"Wow!"

"If I may say so, Ms. Oaken, you look... beautiful."

"I don't think we need to try any other dresses..." Anna muttered. "What's next?"

"Your hair and make-up, Ms. Oaken, if that suits you?" Another curtsy followed.

Anna sat down in front of the vanity, three servants suddenly surrounding her.

"Gerda asked us to leave the hair down..."

"Doesn't seem smart with the collar of the dress."

"Indeed. Wouldn't come out as well as with a bare-back dress."

"Then maybe a bun? Comb the hair back, pin it up?"

"Yes, and then have a few tresses fall down as a compromise to Gerda's plan?"

The servants were busily discussing Anna's hair before getting to work. In the meantime, a fourth servant had started working on her make-up. After a while, they stepped back to look at the results.

Anna had to admit, she was impressed. Sure, she wasn't nobility. But at least now she _looked_ like she was. She looked classy and elegant, but somehow she also still looked like... well, herself. She liked that most of all, actually.

Another knock at the door, which was again answered by a servant.

"Package from Queen Elsa for Miss Oaken," a middle-aged man with a snobbish expression sing-sung. "Oh, look at you! Such beauty! Such magnificence! Really, you could rival our good Queen in looks, _ma Cherie_. Just a few things missing. Just a few... Luckily, I brought your jewellery."

Anna slowly opened the box, revealing a myriad of jewels, and another little note.

_Dear Anna,_

_If you want, you can wear some of these jewels tonight. I've taken them from my personal collection – you're free to wear whichever you want. Jacques has a good eye for style, but if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion: you'll find a collier, silver, with a snowflake pendant. It is my personal favourite, and most of the attending nobles will recognize it as such if you were to wear it..._

_Forever yours,_

_Elsa_

Anna rummaged through the box, finding the aforementioned piece of jewellery without trouble. It was... incredible. The silver had been polished and glistened in her hands, the little snowflake glimmering as it moved in the light. In the centre of the masterfully crafted snowflake sat a single sapphire, not large, but easily noticed nonetheless.

"_Oui_, _tres magnificent, non? _But, if I may, perhaps not the most suitable piece." He rummaged through the box, pulling out a thin gold necklace with an intricate pendant. "Maybe this?"

"No," Anna said, her voice firm. "I'll wear the collier." She couldn't explain, but everyone knowing she wore Elsa's collier just felt... right. It made the entire affair a little less scary. "Well, _ma Cherie, _if you insist..."

Anna also settled on two silver rings, one on each hand, and delicate silver earrings. When she looked into the mirror, she almost mistook herself for actual nobility. "How long before it starts?"

As Jacques left again, one of the servants checked the clock against the far wall. "Little over half an hour, Miss."

Anna stood in front of the window, looking out over the docks. She was intrigued by the many ships now littered around in the water. She recognized most of the flags waving in the wind. The ships of DunBroch and Corona were easily the largest, along with the Arendelle's own flagship. The Southern Isles ship was a close contender, but all the others were easily dwarfed by the giants. Weselton, Emerald Isles, Foxcliff and several other duchies and kingdoms were apparently attending, their ships bobbing up and down in the water between the larger ships. For the next ten minutes, Anna wondered on whether or not the snow out there was natural. Maybe Elsa had used her powers to build a Yule vibe? She made a mental note to ask her tonight.

* * *

The ballroom was amazing. And immense. And overcrowded. The servants had told Anna that tonight's ball would be held in the main ballroom, as opposed to the smaller ballroom in which the representatives ball had been held. The same icy trees that had decorated that ballroom now decorated this one, with the added effect of continuously falling snowflakes, which evaporated before they reached the crowd below the icy branches.

But Anna was even more impressed by the crowd gathered in the ballroom. She had never seen such a collection of crowns and tiaras gathered before her. And the suits and dresses... an abundance of colours and materials, she was certain. She didn't recognise anyone as she entered the ballroom, many sets of eyes suddenly upon her.

It seemed like a good idea to make her way to the table with drinks and food first, and she feasted her eyes on everyone around her as she zigzagged between royals. Halfway there, she was suddenly stopped by beautiful young woman. "_Enchanté_. You must be the Ms. Oaken I've been hearing so much about," she smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "You and Queen Elsa have stirred up quite a storm. _Une roturier!_ people said. So old fashioned. Welcome to the ball, _chérie_."

Anna looked at her. "Well met," she muttered, sticking to English. "Apologies, I know not who I have the honour with?"

"Ah, _naturellement_. I'm Belle, Queen of France. And I, of course, know who you are..."

Anna's look must have betrayed her confusion, for she continued. "_La collier d'Elsa_. The snowflake is a giveaway. _Mais, excusez-moi, s'il vous plait. _My husband is asking for me. I'm sure we'll talk again."

_That went well_, Anna thought as she continued towards the snacks. As soon as Anna popped the first truffle in her mouth, she heard a screech-like sound behind her. She turned around, coming face to face with a forehead. And the man to whom it belonged. Clearly, this was the man Elsa's note had warned her about.

"So! You're the one that _stole_ my room, _Miss_ Oaken. Surely this is no place for a boorish farmer?"

Anna was about to provide an indignant huff while thinking of an answer, but she was unable to do so, mostly out of surprise.

"Oi, lad! Surely you are not questioning Queen Elsa's decision? That'd be a wee bit of a scandal on its own, aye?" Anna was momentarily put off by the strong Scottish accent. Another voice, without accent, immediately followed it. "Or maybe he's just trying to insult Elsa's honoured guest? That would be quite a spectacle... Especially if _someone_ were to accidentally let it slip to her..."

The good Duke slinked away without another word, leaving Anna with her two saviours. She turned around to find two women, both slightly taller than her, looking at her peculiarly. One of them wore a simple green gown, and sported a head of fiery red curls – similarly coloured to her own but infinitely less tame. The other women was dressed in a pink dress, and had her long, blonde hair cascading down her back. The looks they were giving her were almost judging. Anna noticed the tiaras both of them wore on their heads.

"Yes, I can see it..." the blonde muttered after a few seconds.

"Hm. Looks like a lovely lass," the other responded.

They both lowered their heads. "Princess Rapunzel of Corona, and Princess Merida of DunBroch. Elsa has told us about you. A lot."

"More like she never shuts up," Merida muttered with mock annoyance.

Anna grew red. "Don't embarrass her like that, Mer," Rapunzel chided. "Come, walk with us for a bit."

Anna did as she was asked, walking in between the two women, who occasionally nodded or exchanged a few words with others in the ballroom. "Elsa really likes you, you know," Rapunzel muttered after a while.

"Bloody lass is too stubborn to admit it though," Merida immediately followed up.

Rapunzel laughed. "That's true, yes. But still, I imagined we'd need to do a lot more coaxing to convince her to break with regulations and invite you."

"She gets stuck in routine and rules and regulations. She needs a good spontaneous lass like you."

"I'm not sure-"

Rapunzel smiled, squeezing Anna's shoulder. "Don't worry, you don't have to tell us anything. But you _are_ going to ask Elsa for her first dance."

Anna looked over to the dance floor, where several pairs were already waltzing around. "She won't accept. She wouldn't be the first all-female pair on the floor."

Merida scoffed. "We know, lass." Merida stepped around Anna, giving a mock bow to Rapunzel. "_Your Highness_, may I have the honour of your first dance?" she asked with a deepened voice.

Rapunzel giggled a little. "I suppose so. It's not like _Eugene_ is going to dance with me tonight," she added, glancing at one of the wine tables, where a muscular man stood drinking like a ruffian. Anna could only watch as the two princesses made their way to the floor, grabbed a hold of each other and started dancing away.

Anna looked around. Elsa's platinum blonde hair was hard to miss. She maneuvered through the crowd, until she was within earshot of the Queen. Just then, a tall, handsome, dark-haired man wearing an intricate gold crown stepped up to Elsa.

"Your Majesty. Might the honour of your hand in a dance be mine?"

Anna's stomach lurched, and she suddenly found herself looking for an escape route. She didn't notice Elsa's glance, but she did catch the answer. "Apologies, Prince Frederick, I believe I see an old friend. Maybe later tonight?"

The Prince nodded tersely, clearly displeased. Anna watched in awe as Elsa floated through the crowd towards her, easily and casually slipping her arm through hers. "Hello Anna," she muttered, her voice a little tense.

"Hi..."

They walked side by side for a moment, neither of them talking, both of them thinking. And then, at the same time, they started.

"I'm sorry-"

"I apologize-"

They looked at each other for a moment before bursting in a fit of giggles, very unfitting for a Queen. Anna was the first to recover. "I was childish, and I acted like a spoiled little-"

"Anna!" Elsa interrupted her with a stern look. "I won't hear it. You were right to feel slighted, and I'm the one who should apologize."

"Let's make a deal?" Anna asked. "Neither of us apologises and we just forget it?"

"It's a deal," Elsa smiled. "Now, how are you finding the ball?"

"Impressive. Overwhelming. Crowded."

"Yes, nothing like the other ball, correct?"

"Definitely. And I ran into the Duke of Weaseltown."

"_Weselton_."

"Right. Sorry."

"But you survived?"

"Yes. Princesses Merida and Rapunzel came to my rescue."

Elsa's face actually distorted then. "Did you talk?"

"A bit... then they went dancing."

"I... see. What did they... tell you?"

"Nothing to worry about," Anna laughed. "They wanted me to ask you to dance, though."

Elsa was silent for a while, placing an empty glass on a waiter's plate. "Then why don't you?"

Anna was silent for a minute before releasing Elsa's arm and turning towards her. She curtsied, lifting the skirt of her dress ever so slightly. _Good thing I brushed up on those etiquettes_. "Your Majesty, would you honour me with a dance?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. _Quite certain that wasn't part of the etiquette..._ "I thought you'd never ask, Anna. We can't keep Rapunzel and Merida dancing with each other for our sake all night... And I'm fairly certain they'll keep going until we've danced." They walked to the floor. "And I wouldn't want to be Merida right now. Her mother is... traditional, and looking rather displeased at her daughter's antics."

As they prepared to start their dance, Anna did indeed catch a glimpse of a fair, stern woman, her face rather disgruntled as a large man standing next to her laughed boisterously. Anna felt Elsa's arm wrapping around her waist, and suddenly the angry queen didn't exist anymore. Faintly, she heard the murmuring buzzing through the ballroom.

"Queen Elsa, dancing with a girl?"

"Is that the commoner girl everyone's talking about?"

"She declined my invitation for _her?_"

But neither of them cared. They barely noticed Merida and Rapunzel's smiles. Anna saw Prince Hans, wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, but didn't have time to think about it as Elsa started twirling her around.

"So, looking forward to the celebrations, Anna?"

"Uhm, isn't this the celebration?" she asked, still slightly distracted by the fact she was dancing with Elsa. Again.

"Well, this is only the first day. We'll have a tourney tomorrow, a day of rest after that. Then there's an elaborate banquet, a day of surprise, another resting day for people to spend as they please, and then another ball."

"Wow! You really pulled everything you had, didn't you?"

"Well, we have to impress other nations somehow, don't we?" Elsa smiled smugly. "Also, thank you for not hugging my ice trees while I was talking to dignitaries."

"I _never_ hugged your ice creations," Anna huffed, her shame and shyness now mostly forgotten.

Elsa merely cocked an eyebrow. "With the exception of some of the animals in the garden, perhaps," Anna laughed.

"And if I recall correctly, you practically used my dragon as a slide."

"That I did..."

"The dress looks good on you."

"Um... Thanks. It's beautiful. But really, _eleven_ dresses?"

The music stopped then, and Elsa carefully escorted her off the floor, immediately linking their arms again. Anna followed her without complaint.

The Duke of Weselton was immediately upon them. "Your Majesty," he curtsied. "Such a pleasure to see you. And your honoured guest, of course."

Elsa frowned. "Arendelle is pleased to have you attending, Your Grace," she replied politely.

"Yes, well, I was hoping we could discuss some of our trade agreements in order to-"

Elsa raised her hand, the Duke immediately silencing. "No business during Yule, good sir. Now, if you'd excuse us..." she let the sentence linger, but the Duke understood the message and stepped out of their way after another short bow.

"This way," Elsa muttered. She led them to a small group on the side of the dance floor, where Anna came face to face with a familiar face again. "Anna, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Belle, and her husband Adam. They're the King and Queen of France."

Belle laughed a chime-like laugh. "We've already met, _ma chére_, but I'm honoured that you bring her to meet me first." Belle and Elsa hugged briefly, after which the French woman planted a single kiss on Elsa's cheek. Wholly unprepared, Anna almost tumbled over when she did the same to her. "A lovely young lady, Elsa," Belle smiled.

"I'm not _actually_ a lady," Anna muttered in protest, hoping to avoid confusion on her status in society.

"Oh, I know..." Belle replied with an odd ring to her voice, letting the sentence linger for a while, as if something was supposed to follow. "Now, Elsa, don't look, but I think Queen Elinor is charging at you..."

Hardly two seconds later, Anna came face to face with the grumpy Queen. She, however, hardly had eyes for her, focusing solely on Elsa. "Your Majesty. Do you think there is any chance you might be able to contain my daughter and keep her from embarrassing herself?"

Elsa shook her head. "Merida is as strong-willed as her parents, Majesty. I fear not even I can change that. Unless you want me to freeze her in place – but I'd rather not risk a war with DunBroch over a dance with Princess Rapunzel..."

Queen Elinor seemed to soften somewhat. "You're right," she sighed. "Especially with the north acting up as they are..."

Anna looked at Elsa, who wore her Queenly mask again. "Yes. But let's not ruin the mood by discussing war right now. A meeting has been called for the day after tomorrow. Until then, I'd like to enjoy Yule." _War? North? What?_

Queen Elinor nodded sullenly. "Is this the girl everyone has been going on about?"

Elsa suddenly brightened again. "She is indeed. Anna, Queen Elinor of DunBroch – Merida's mother. Queen Elinor, Anna – daughter of the Mayor of Hellmark."

The Queen looked at Anna, not unkindly, and then shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you. Now, I need to save that poor soul that is trying to wrestle my husband..."

Elsa continued to lead Anna around the room for a while, introducing her to dignitaries and royals around the ballroom. The Princess of Foxcliff, Prince-Consort of Corona (_Rapunzel's husband, right? _Anna thought but dared not ask), and many more. Finally, they encountered Merida, Hans and Rapunzel.

Hans immediately smiled at Anna, but then turned away and looked at the two princesses. "Anna is really fond of childhood stories about Elsa, so fire away."

Merida immediately slung her arm around Anna's shoulder. "Well then lass, you're in the right place here. Let me see now... Ah, I know! I'll tell ye about the time Elsa wanted to learn archery!"

Elsa suddenly downed a glass of wine. "Oh, no you won't!" she yelped, turning a bright red. Rapunzel hid her giggle behind her hand as Merida's wine cup suddenly froze to her lips.

"Mmbrghmm."

"_Exactly," _Elsa smirked.

"Fine, fine," Merida mumbled once her lips had thawed. "I'll tell the lass some other time then. Bloody ice. A girl can't win against ye, can she? All _I_ ever managed was turning me mum into a bear..."

After that statement, Anna actually had trouble swallowing her own drink. "What?"

Merida started a lengthy tale that sounded a little too far-fetched to be true, but was incredibly amusing nonetheless. Anna's head was starting to feel fuzzy, so she decided to go easy on the wine or now. Besides her, Elsa was chatting happily with Hans, already having finished another cup of wine.

Merida finished telling her tale, waving her arms around in an undignified manner. Anna laughed, but halfway through her laugh turned into a yawn. She tried to hide it, but failed. Badly.

"Elsa, it appears your guest is tired. Why don't you escort her to her chambers?" Hans asked, concern lacing his voice.

"Not necessary, I know the way," Anna immediately objected.

"Lass like you can't be running around the castle on her own," Merida interjected.

Elsa seemed to doubt, looking from Anna to the crowd behind them.

"Go on, Elsa," Rapunzel said softly. "The party won't go wild without you, and will still be here when you return. No one will even notice – and if they do, Merida and I will cover for you."

Elsa nodded then, taking Anna's arm again. "Ready?"

"Yes," Anna said, again half-yawning.

The corridors were dark and deserted, and they didn't encounter anyone as they strolled towards Anna's chambers. They walked in a comfortable silence, eventually reaching the door to Anna's chambers in the Royal Wing. Anna immediately noticed the change.

Whereas at first only the door to Elsa's chambers had been decorated – blue snowflakes painted on a white door – all doors now had a symbol on them. Anna recognized the sun of Corona and the sword of DunBroch, but the others were indistinguishable in the darkness. Those were not important, though. She was focused on the shape on the door to _her_ chambers.

"I... took the liberty of choosing yours," Elsa muttered hesitantly. "It's not official, of course... But since you seemed to like the Griffin sculpture a lot... I figured..."

"It's perfect, Elsa," Anna smiled, stopping in front of her door. As she surveyed the outline of the mythical beast, she noticed something else, and her smile suddenly dropped. Elsa noticed it, following her gaze upwards.

_Mistletoe._

"Mistletoe..." Elsa muttered. "I wonder how that got there..."

Anna frowned. "I think we both have a general idea..."

"True..." Elsa smiled faintly.

Anna wasn't sure what caused it. Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it had been the good time she spent with Elsa tonight. Maybe her presence was just intoxicating. Or maybe it was all of that combined that caused her to speak her mind out loud.

"Still, wouldn't want the Queen to ignore customs, would we?" It sounded as a teasing remark. But still... it also sounded _sultry_. Or so Anna thought.

Elsa looked at her intently for several long moments. Long enough for Anna's heart to stop beating, and fall to her feet. She was about to follow up with a joke, fearing she had overstepped some invisible barrier.

_Hell, I don't even know why I said that! I'm such an idiot! Idiot! Idiot! You're talking to the Queen here, Anna! What were you thinking? Have you gone completely mad? Just imagine what she must be thinking now?! Great job ruining something good. AGAIN!_

Then, to her surprise, Elsa smiled. "Indeed, we wouldn't want that..."

Anna's breath caught in her throat. Elsa slowly leant forward, her face inching closer to Anna's. Her heart had started beating again. Frantically, and completely off-rhythm, but it _was_ beating. Anna just wasn't sure for how much longer.

She could feel Elsa's cool breath on her face now. She could smell the fruity scent of wine, and smell Elsa's signature scent of... _winter_. And then she was there. Her velvet-soft lips planted on Anna's own. And Anna felt as if she could spontaneously combust.

The kiss was chaste and short, but enough for Anna to send her mind and body into overdrive. She was certain Elsa would feel the sudden wave of heat that seemed to envelop her body. She knew she was blushing, probably from head to toe. Elsa had fully pulled back, now smiling at her kindly. "Good night, Anna."

Before Anna realised she had to answer, Elsa was already halfway down the corridor. She muttered a goodnight of her own, but figured Elsa would not be able to hear the squeak that was her voice. She fled into her room, shed her dress in an instant, and landed in bed, where she untied her hair.

Her mind kept replaying the kiss. Over and over again. The softness of Elsa's lips. The way their lips perfectly locked together. The way Elsa had looked at her afterwards. The way it had sent a tingly feeling from her stomach to the rest of her body, until that was the _only_ thing she could still feel.

_But_, Anna forced herself to think, _it was just a mistletoe kiss. Everyone knows those don't mean anything. I practically forced her into it. Still, if she hadn't wanted it, she wouldn't have done it, right? I'm sure it didn't mean anything. She would probably have kissed Rapunzel or Merida or even Hans if she had found herself under mistletoe with them. No, it didn't mean anything. Mistletoe kisses never do._

_But what if this one was different? It certainly felt different..._

* * *

Elsa had taken several minutes to cool herself down in a deserted corridor before returning to the ball. She hardly believed she had just done that. Sure, it was _just_ a kiss. But was there really such a thing as 'just a kiss?' She wasn't certain. Anna had practically dared her to do it, and she had wanted to do it. Very much.

Then why was she still doubting whether it had been the right thing to do? Well, no matter, really. Especially when she looked at it objectively. They had both had a little too much wine, probably. Elsa knew _she_ had. And it was only a kiss because of the mistletoe. No mistletoe equaled no kiss. Exactly. That meant it didn't mean a thing.

The thought both elated and depressed her.

Back in the ballroom, she found Hans, Rapunzel and Merida waiting for her. The two princesses knew Elsa well enough, and high-fived each other discreetly as she walked in. Hans, not noticing, raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Did it work?"

She clenched her fist in response. Half the ballroom looked their way when Hans suddenly yelped loudly, ice forming on the inside of his suit. He recovered quickly, though. "I'll take that as a yes, then," he smiled smugly.

Elsa merely released and exasperated sigh. "How will I ever survive with the three of you around?"

* * *

**I'm updating his story a little sooner than I had originally planned, but I have a good reason. My next update will be for my other story, so this one will have to wait a little longer this time around. Hope you awesome people can find it in your pretty hearts to forgive me for that. Also, a few replies to reviews/PMs:  
**

**It was not my intention to make Elsa comes across as a bitch in the previous chapter - just someone who's somewhat confused and conflicted, and not entirely certain on how to act. Also, Anna wants to be with Elsa too much to give her too much of a hard time, so no begging (at least not now...)**

**Also, I still need an event for one day, namely the "surprise" day - I haven't been able to come up with anything for it yet, and it feels a little cheap to just call it another day of rest - so the best suggestion I get from you lovely people will fill the fifth day! :)**

**Then, I've received some questions about a cover image for this fic: I've come to the realisation that my artistic skills don't measure up to my writing. Not to blow my own horn on my writing skills - my drawing skills are just non-existent. Like, totally. So, unless someone provides one, there will be no cover image - apologies if that pertubs you.**

**Let's see, what am I forgetting? Ah, right! You people are all awesome, and I feel I should thank you for your PMs, reviews, favorites and follows. Again. So, thanks! Keep on being awesome and making my day with all your lovely attention. Special thanks goes to Jahaira for being critical of my previous chapter and giving me ideas for this one and the next few. I hope I redeemed myself with this chapter.**

**I still do happy dances for every review I get, and it is keeping me very fit, so please keep leaving them for me! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, so, yes, this is here sooner than expected. I said I'd be a little slower, and I really intended it to be so... But then I had this rather nasty nightmare in which all my faves/follows/reviews disappeared, and you lot started chasing me with torches, pitchforks and a demonic elephant (don't even ask...) so I got up in the middle of the night and finished this chapter. It seems rather silly in hindsight, but since it's done anyway, I might as well publish it.**

* * *

She was late. Not that unusual for her, of course. Her bed had been too soft, and none of her servants had thought to wake her for the start of the tourney. So she had hurriedly dressed in one of the simpler gowns Elsa had provided for her, had wrapped her hair in a simple bun and cleaned her face. It would have to do.

Of course, all of that she did thinking about the night before. The kiss that hadn't meant anything. She was almost glad she wouldn't have to come face to face with Elsa today – it gave her some time to decide on how she wanted to act.

When she reached the stands that had been erected for the people to watch the tourney, she was amazed. It was so... big! Most of it was reserved for the common citizens of the city. On the left side were the stands for the noble guests attending Arendelle's Yule festivities. That side also housed several small, covered hut-like structures, which separated its inhabitants from the rest of the audience. The largest one was smack in the middle of the tribune, sporting a blue snowflake on its side. Anna also noticed the insignias of Corona and DunBroch on the huts placed on both ends of the tribune.

She took another look at the slip of parchment in her hand. _A. Oaken, C17._ Stand C was one of the three nobility sections. Anna smiled to herself, Elsa really hadn't spent any expenses for her. She climbed the stairs, keeping her eye on the signs indicating the seat numbering. She found seat C17 without any trouble. The only problem was that it was already occupied.

"Excuse me, M'lord? I believe you are in my seat," she curtsied politely, smiling gently at the portly, red-faced man.

"You're quite mistaken, Milady," he smiled back. "Seat C17, T. Varra. Theodore Varra. That's me, I'm sure."

Anna showed the man her own slip. "Well, Lady Oaken..." Lord Varra smiled, "you should probably go and check in with the organization. The people at the front desk told me this was my seat, so they should know where to place you too."

Anna curtsied again, hurrying back to the main entrance of the makeshift arena. She could already see the first knights marching onto the field and lining up for the Queen's speech. The entrance was almost deserted, most people having found their seats without any problems. She quickly approached one of the women.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but my seat seems to be occupied."

"Name?"

"Anna Oaken."

She looked at a long list, tracing the names with her finger. "Oaken, Anna. Seat B14."

Anna nodded and almost ran back up the stairs, this time of the central area. B14, however, did not seem to exist. One of the guards approached her.

"Milady, can I help you?"

"Not a lady, but can you tell me where B14 is?"

The man took a step backward, bending at the waist. "Of course. B14 is Queen Elsa's box."

_Oh fudge. _

"I'll escort you, Miss Oaken."

Anna followed the man immediately. "How'd you know who I was?"

"Well, you said you weren't a lady, Miss. And the only one on this side of the arena that is not a noble would be Queen Elsa's honoured guest, Anna Oaken of Hellmark. Your seating arrangement confirms this."

"Does _everyone_ around here know about me?" Anna muttered to herself.

"Yes, Miss. It is quite unusual for the Queen to take such an interest in anyone – safe other royals, of course. You're the talk of the town. Here we are." He gestured toward the entrance of the little construct. "Enjoy, Miss."

Anna knocked on the door, and immediately heard Elsa's voice. "Come in."

Elsa looked up from a large stack of papers as Anna shuffled inside, remaining stationary at the door. "Hello, Anna. I hope the last minute change in seating arrangements wasn't too troublesome?"

Anna only managed a small shake of her head, nerves suddenly playing up. _What to do? How should I act? Should I talk about yesterday? No, that would be awkward. So just ignore it happened and proceed as usual? Yes, that would make sense. But I don't know if I can do that! And Elsa's so calm. She doesn't look nervous at all. She's blushing though. But probably not because of me. Of course not because of me. It's chilly, that's it! That's the reason. But I really should-_

"Are you alright?" Elsa's eyes betrayed her concern, scanning Anna's face for discomfort of any kind.

"No, no! I mean, yes! I'm fine. Just a little... I don't know, really. It's just that- Never mind. I uhm, you know, just... Gah!"

Elsa laughed, shuffling to the side of the small couch she sat on. "Take a seat while you calm down, Anna. If you don't mind being seen with me, of course."

Anna quickly did as she was told, silent as Elsa returned her attention to the papers in front of her. Anna looked around, coming to the conclusion that, from this spot, she could oversee _everything_. She watched the commoners on the other side of the tourney pit, excitement buzzing around them. She watched the noblemen and women sitting and chatting around their box. She could see Rapunzel and her family in the Corona box all the way to the left. She could also see Merida and her father in the DunBroch box to the right, talking animatedly while Queen Elinor stared into the distance.

There was a heavy silence between them. Anna noticed that Elsa was looking at the papers, but her eyes never moved, so she wasn't actually reading. She wanted to say something, but wasn't sure what. _This has to be one of the most uncomfortable silence in like... ever!_

"So..." Elsa started suddenly, although nothing followed.

"So?"

Elsa shook her head, dismissing the start of a sentence, as if she wasn't sure what she was going to say anyway. _I've never seen her like this_, Anna mused.

"Like what?"

_Oh boy. Me and my loud thoughts..._

"Nothing!" she yelped, unable to come up with something else in time.

Elsa merely raised her eyebrows.

"You are just... less articulate than usual? Not that that's a bad thing. I'm never as articulate as you are. You are super-duper articulate always. Except for now. Wait, why did I say that? I shouldn't have said that, should I? Could I be hanged for that? I did technically insult you, didn't I? Please don't hang me! Ugh, listen to me going on, of course you wouldn't hang me. You like me way too much for that... Or at least I think you like me? Not in- I just- What I'm saying is- I don't- I meant to say- Maybe it's-"

Anna felt more and more blood flowing to her head, lighting up her face as if it were part of the Yule decorations. In her defense, though, Elsa's blush also seemed to magnify strongly.

"I do like you, Anna," Elsa interrupted her, finally freeing her from the curse that her rambling formed. "I just..." She let the sentence trail off again, before she started laughing softly. "I suppose I really am getting less articulate."

Anna was still working on the 'I do like you, Anna' part. It had come out with a soft and unfamiliar undertone. Anna wasn't quite sure how to take it. _Did she mean that? And why does 'like' have so many different meanings!? I mean, you can like someone the way I like Kristoff. And you can like something the way I like reading. And then there's the way I like chocolate! Does Elsa like me the way I like chocolate? Oh, that'd be..._

_And then there's the way I like Elsa. _

The thought came on suddenly and unbidden. It even surprised Anna. Of course, she'd known there was something off about the way she liked Elsa. That was pretty hard to ignore after that dream she'd had the first night. But she had never _actually_ put it into words.

_What if Elsa likes me the way I like Elsa?_

That was a different question entirely. One she could not answer. Not yet. Maybe never. _Probably never_. _There's this entire "I'm a farmer and she's the Queen" thing, remember, Anna?_

More and more knights gathered in the pit below them, some of them wearing a kingdom's emblem on their armour or shields, others not sporting any way to indicate their allegiance. Elsa put her papers down and turned towards her again. "Ready?"

She nodded dumbfounded. _It's not like this tourney needs my go-ahead, is it?_

"Good." Elsa shot her another brilliant smile before standing and walking towards the railing at the front of their box. The people, seeing her standing there, immediately rose to their feet as well – and Anna followed suit. _It's amazing how she recovers from her blabbering and I'm just left behind, being a pile of rambles still..._

"Welcome, one and all, to Arendelle's Grand Yule Tournament! Today, our valiant knights will partake in jousting or melee. After today, we will know which knight is the most talented, most skilled and most honourable! The rules have been explained to you – stick to them and we should all have a grand day. Now, allow me to introduce today's Marshall: Lord Eskar, who will be leading this tourney. Good luck, _bonne chance_!

The Marshall declared that they would start with the melee, and the first two contestants were announced. Anna watched as a Coronan knight walked onto the field, a shining sword held high. His opponent, a knight from Weselton, looked like a scrawny kid in comparison to this epitome of knighthood.

They both bowed to the royalty present, before taking up their positions. Anna had never attended a tourney, but she was aware of the rules. Fair play, no killing blows. That did little to curb her enthusiasm, though. As the two men started circling each other, she felt a squeal bubbling up in her throat. The Weselton knight jumped forward, swinging his sword in a wide arc and – then the match was over. The Coronan knight stood over his opponent, who was flat-faced on the ground, the tip of a sword pressing against his neck.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Anna muttered as everyone started applauding.

Elsa snickered. "Very few can measure up to a knight of Corona. Certainly no one from Weselton."

The next match was between a knight from the Southern Isles and one from Arendelle. Elsa seemed more interested in this match – for obvious reasons, Anna figured. They seemed to be a match for one another, their swords clashing together, filling the pit with the sounds of ringing metal and grunting men. Eventually, the Arendelle knight got the upper hand, flooring his opponent. The crowd went wild, and Anna heard a loud roar above it all. She soon found the source, the King of the Southern Isles sat in his own royal box, shouting obscenities at both of the knights.

The few matches after that were uneventful, most of the soldiers from larger kingdoms easily defeating their opponents. One knight, dressed in simple black armour, stood out, defeating his opponent with particular aggression, though not _actually_ breaking any rules.

"Who's that?" Anna asked Elsa in between matches.

Elsa's look focused. "I'm not entirely sure. Knight Enwyn according to the list, but there's no affiliated kingdom. He's skilled, though."

Time passed quickly, and after the first few matches Anna felt her attention slacken. She paid attention to the matches of Arendelle knights, as well as the Coronan fighter and the man in the black armour, but the others just passed her by in a blur of flashing steel and men trying to impress the crowd.

Eventually, the Marshall called for a short intermission, after which the finale would be fought between the Coronan knight and the man in the black armour – the last Arendelle knight had been bested by the Coronan in the previous fight.

A servant immediately entered their little spot, carrying a tray with different beverages. "Your Majesty, wine? Water? Fresh juice?"

"Just bring everything in, please."

The servant nodded, and after a few minutes, six servants – some of which Anna recognized as part of her own platoon – entered with pitchers and plates. There were all kinds of snacks and beverages, neatly displayed on a table behind their little couch.

Elsa looked at her apologetically. "I wasn't sure what you preferred, so I had the kitchens prepare... well... everything, really."

Anna smiled. Drinking wine before dinner didn't sound like a very good idea, but fresh juice of this quality was a novelty for her. She decided to take a little bit of everything. She hadn't thought about last night much while watching the tourney, but now that her mind didn't have anything to focus on, the thoughts returned with a vengeance.

"Enjoying yourself, Anna?"

"Uhm, sure?"

Elsa seemed to pick up on the doubtful tone of her answer. "Really now?"

She released a deep sigh. "Maybe not as much as I expected..."

Elsa laughed her bell-like laugh. "Don't worry, tourneys are boring as... Well, they're boring. We're only having one because it is tradition, and men generally enjoy them."

Now that Anna thought about it, Elsa did look like she'd rather be somewhere else. She looked at the rest of the public. Rapunzel and her mother might as well have been asleep and people wouldn't have noticed a difference. Queen Elinor was still staring into the distance, and Anna honestly believed she hadn't moved a muscle since the start. Merida, on the other hand, was looking much more enthusiastic now than she had done during the ball.

"Merida might be the only exception present today," Elsa smiled, following Anna's gaze. "This is the kind of thing she lives for. Not balls and soirees and tea. No, Merida likes fighting, archery, riding a horse through the forest at break-neck speed..."

The Marshall called everyone to attention again, gesturing the two remaining knights to enter the pit. The Coronan knight, his armour having a golden gleam, waved to the cheering crowd. He looked like a Champion, or so Anna thought. She wasn't entirely positive on what separated a Champion from a normal Knight. The other fighter received considerably less cheers, but he didn't acknowledge the crowd anyway, so Anna figured it didn't bother him that much.

The fight started, the two contestants circling each other, occasionally deflecting a blow. Corona ducked underneath a wide swing of his opponent, after which he hit him in his side with the pommel of his sword. To everyone's surprise, the black knight didn't even flinch. He just turned around and swung his arm against the shiny helmet, causing it to fly off, revealing the blonde hair of the knight.

Still recovering from the blow, he slowly staggered away from his quarry, raised his sword and shield again, and moved in for another attack. They now had the attention of everyone in the crowd, and Anna noticed that even Elsa was at the edge of her seat, viewing the fight attentively. The blonde knight swung his sword again, in an exaggerated arc, and not even Anna was surprised when the man in black deflected the blow with his own sword. Then, in less than a second, the Coronan fighter swung his shield, hitting his opponent smack in the face.

Still he did not flinch! He simply reached up, turned his helmet to align with his face again, and resumed fighting. The Coronan fighter got several more hits in on his opponent, but he just didn't go down. And then _he_ struck in earnest. His sword left a large cleft in the Coronan shield, the knight went down, and raised his hand in surrender.

The Marshall called the fight, but the knight in dark armour didn't seem to notice. He still towered over his opponent, lifting his sword up as if planning to deliver a killing blow. Before Anna had realised what happened, Elsa was on her feet.

"ENOUGH, Sir Enwyn! You are victorious. Don't dishonour yourself." Elsa's voice was loud and authoritative. The entire stadium fell silent when her voice first carried through, and remained so after that. At the first word, the knight had lowered his blade and turned his head towards the source. Now that it was silent again, however, he turned his head back to his fallen opponent.

In a fraction of a moment, he brought his sword back up, and swiftly began bringing it down again. There was an audible collective gasp throughout the crowd. Anna felt herself holding her breath, wanting to look away, but not able to do so. And then the sword flew from his hand, clattering onto the ground a few feet away. A green, long-shafted arrow lay on the ground between them. Had Anna not been paying such close attention, she wouldn't have seen the arrow impacting with the black knight's hand, causing a flinch during which the sword was discarded. It couldn't have hurt him and was probably just the shock, but it had done the job.

Anna shifted her attention to her right, where she found the source of the arrow. Merida now stood in their box, at the front railing like Elsa, her bow still aimed at the men in the pit, already drawing the bowstring back with a new arrow. Now that she took in her surroundings again, she noticed that almost every royal present had gotten up, glaring down at the black knight. They weren't looking at Anna, but she still felt the intimidation their gazes wrought.

The knight looked from Merida to Elsa, back to Merida, back to Elsa again, and then turned around and walked off, ignoring everything around him. The Marshall looked up at Elsa, and Anna noticed her giving an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

"Knight Enwyn is disqualified for breaking the rules!" the Marshall called. "The winner of today's melee is Knight Karwin of Corona! Now, we will have another intermission, after which the jousting will begin!"

The jousting had been even more of a drag than the melee, and Anna was _very_ happy when the Marshall finally declared the winner, one of Arendelle's own knights. By that time, it was slowly growing dark, the sun lingering just above the edges of the mountains. She hadn't really been paying attention to the men charging each other atop their horses – ridiculous sport, really – and she knew Elsa hadn't either. The knight in black armour had put a serious damper on Elsa's mood.

Anna got up as the crowd started milling outside, but Elsa caught her wrist. "Better to stay and wait a few minutes. That way you won't be squashed or trampled by the crowd," she smiled wistfully. Despite her inner turmoil, Anna wasn't planning on wasting an opportunity to spend a few more minutes with Elsa.

Just as Anna decided she was going to ask Elsa about yesterday's kiss, Elsa started talking. "Anna. As you know, there are no festivities tomorrow, and people are free to do as they choose. I'm having an important meeting with a few of our foreign allies. It's a sensitive meeting, but I... I'd like you to be there."

"Me?" Anna asked, flabbergasted. She didn't know anything about politics, and it wasn't her business in the slightest. "Why me?"

"Well..." Elsa seemed to hesitate. "Part of the meeting pertains to you. Or, well, me, really. Us, I suppose. There will be some talk about magic, and since you have this... _thing_ with my ice, I figured I should have you there. And besides, you're almost-"

Elsa suddenly cut herself off, clamping her lower lip between her teeth.

"I'm almost what?" Anna queried. _And since when are you the rambling mess I usually am?_

"Nothing," Elsa responded just a tad too quickly. "Come on, let's get back to the castle."

Their surroundings were mostly deserted when they left the little box from where they had been watching the tourney. They descended the stairs, and were met by Merida and Rapunzel at the bottom. _Princess Merida and Princess Rapunzel_, Anna corrected herself. _Don't get too sloppy with their titles!_

"Nice shot," Elsa commented wryly, inclining her head towards the pit. Merida actually looked rather proud. "Thanks. I figured someone had to do something."

Elsa nodded as they started walking. They'd soon left the tourney grounds behind them, walking down towards the castle through the city proper. Anna was vaguely aware of the guards trailing behind them, remaining at a fair distance, yet close enough to protect their charges if it would be necessary.

The entire party suddenly froze, causing Anna to bump into Elsa's back. She followed their gaze, letting her eyes trail down the street. There, at the opposite end, stood the knight in black armour. They stared each other down for some time, no one doing so much as even blink. Then, rather suddenly, the knight drew his sword and charged at Merida.

Before the feisty princess could even raise her bow, Elsa waved a hand. It looked so casual, it was almost surprising how much of an effect it had. Within seconds, the knight was frozen from his feet to his upper chest, his entire body encased in a thick layer of ice. He struggled for a few seconds, vainly, before lowering his head.

"You would forfeit your life with such reckless abandon?" Rapunzel inquired.

No response.

Elsa grew a few extra layers of ice, ensuring that the man couldn't move any of his limbs anymore. Then, with a concentrated and serious expression, she stepped towards him. "Now, Knight Enwyn – let's see the man behind the helmet, shall we?"

With a fluent motion, Elsa pulled the black helmet from the head, revealing the knight's face. Or rather, the location where his face _should have been_. There was the slight bulge where the nose would be, and two indentations where one would expect eyes, but that was all. Anna looked in horror at this abomination of a man, before she realized that it wasn't actually a man at all.

"Is that... a statue?" Merida asked from behind them, her bow still at the ready.

"Yes..." Rapunzel muttered, obviously as confused as the rest.

"That... explains why he was so unfazed when hit."

Anna coughed. "I think we're missing the bigger picture here," she muttered, not loudly but still audibly, "why was a _statue_ walking around and fighting and just generally _moving_ anyway? Or rather, _how_?"

Her royal companions nodded, continuing to observe the statue. It remained un-moving, all the life that had previously inhibited it now seemingly fleeted. While they were poking, pinching and rubbing the stone – for it really was stone – Anna was suddenly distracted. She wasn't entirely certain by what, but for some reason her attention was drawn to the darkness between two houses. When she squinted slightly, she thought she could make out the outline of... something. It seemed prudent to share this little insight with the others.

As soon as Elsa, Rapunzel, and Merida turned their heads to the location Anna pointed out, a misshapen form the size of a small human lurched out of the shadows, running away from them. Anna wasn't entirely certain why, but she found herself running after it. She hardly had the time to be amazed by her companions. Rapunzel had discarded her shoes, running after the _thing_ faster than any of them, a feat Anna had not expected from the blonde princess. Merida had made her way to the roofs in a similarly impressive feat, now following their target from the rooftops. Elsa was shooting ice at the hunching form while running, but it didn't seem to do much good.

They ran for several minutes, the odd form slowly increasing the distance between them. Just when all seemed lost and Anna was certain they'd lose it, she heard a piercing cry from above. She looked up just in time to see a large shape descending onto the vague silhouette in the distance, the sound of breaking stone audible even from this distance.

Everyone stood in awe as they watched the icy Griffin lift its form from the remains of another statue. To everyone's surprise, it turned its head towards them, and then slowly walked over to Anna, nuzzling its large head against her. Anna felt the comfortable touch of Elsa's magic as she patted the beast on its sharp beak – it made her unusually happy to be reunited with this particular creation.

Merida and Rapunzel looked from Anna to the Griffin, then to Elsa, and then back to Anna again. "That was... unexpected," Rapunzel commented dryly. "I assume this is an... acquaintance of yours?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes. This is the Griffin I told you about. The one that brought Anna's effect on my ice to my attention. Although, frankly, I wasn't really aware of its presence until it just... dropped from the sky."

They shared a few chuckles, before returning their attention to the statue. Or rather: the pile of broken stones and rubble that remained of it. Among the remains, Elsa found its head, still mostly intact. "Oh dear," she muttered.

"What?" three voices asked in return, all at the same time.

"I know this statue. It's one of the two gargoyles that stand near the western gates of the castle. Although I fear _stood_ would now be the more appropriate verb tense."

Anna raised an eyebrow, shooting Elsa an incredulous look. "You're telling us that something caused this statue to come to life?"

Elsa merely nodded. "Guard! Take this head to my study. Then go back to the dark knight I've frozen back there. Find out if that's another statue from around here, and bring it to my study as well. _In pieces_." The guard nodded, took the head from Elsa, and ran off with two of his mates.

Returning her attention to the sky, Elsa held out a hand and waited for a few seconds. Another one of her creations came soaring out of the darkness, landing on her outstretched arm delicately. Anna smirked. She remembered that one too.

It was a large bird – but that wasn't what made it special, there were many birds in Elsa's collection. No, this sculpture was of a mythical Phoenix, and Elsa had clearly done something differently than usual. The ice had a strange red and yellow gleam in it, rather than the pale blue most of her creations had been. She muttered a few words Anna couldn't overhear, after which the bird took flight again, headed towards the castle.

"We should head back as well. There's no telling what is still out here."

Everyone agreed, and they quickly set a course towards the safe confines of the castle walls, walking slightly faster than they would usually have. Despite the terrifying and confusing events, Anna felt remarkably safe. _The Griffin. Elsa. Merida and her bow. And who knows what Rapunzel is capable of?_

* * *

Hans sat behind his mahogany desk, feeling much less at ease than he would have liked. His father and two oldest brothers had just returned from the tourney and were now sitting in front of him. At his request. He pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing this meeting would be aggravating at best.

"Well, _boy_, tell my why you had the guts to summon me," his father huffed indignantly. "Who are you to summon me!?"

_Here we go_, Hans thought as he brought his signature charming smile to his face. With a lot more difficulty than usual. "Father, I did not summon you, I merely requested your presence."

His oldest brother scoffed. "You know full well that isn't true, Hansy."

"Stay out of it, Edmund," he replied without taking his eyes of his father's. "We have something important to discuss."

His father smiled. Not a kind and genuine smile, but a sarcastic little grin. "So, you've come to your senses and decided to return home. That's good. We'll find you a lovely little wife and a-"

"I _am_ home," Hans interrupted.

"How dare you interrupt your father, the King, like that!" his other brother nearly shouted.

"Edward, please, lower your voice."

His father leant forward, his smile now replaced by an intimidating scowl. Hans wasn't about to pull back though.

"You're denying your heritage, _boy_? You're a Prince of the Southern Isles. You are _not_ home in this icy little hole in the earth."

"You made this my home when you sent me here, seventeen years ago," Hans replied, keeping his voice flat.

"You were supposed to court Elsa, marry her and become king, you giant-"

"That's _Queen_ Elsa to you, Father," Hans sneered.

"Semantics! You should just have married the little bitch and bedded her. At least then you would have had some use to us!"

"You do _NOT_ talk about my sister like that!" Now Hans was _really_ getting angry.

"You don't have sisters!" Edmund yelled. "You have twelve brothers! All of whom you've ignored!"

"_I _ignored _you_? None of you ever contacted me after Father discarded me like I was some kind of undesirable decoration! And then you blame me for not leaving my home when, after all those years, you finally come calling!?"

Hans took a few slow, deep breaths. _Calm down. You won't get anywhere like this. They can't help it they're such incredible buffoons._

"Now, let's leave this behind us and-"

"Like hell we'll leave this behind us," his father growled. "You're coming back to the Southern Isles. Arendelle is no place for a Prince of the greatest kingdom in existence."

"Actually, I think Arendelle is larger, wealthier and more powerful than the Southern Isles," Hans mused aloud. "As are Corona, DunBroch, France, Russia, oh, and I'm certain I'm forgetting a few. It's hard to keep track if there are so many."

That hit a nerve, and Hans knew it. _Forget business. I won't get anything from them now_.

"Are you coming home or not?" his Father asked, his face growing red with anger.

"Like I said. I _am_ home. Here, in Arendelle. With Elsa. As my sister, not my wife."

"Your mother will be so disappointed in you, boy."

"Not as disappointed as I've been with all of you for the past ten years or so," Hans replied stone-faced. He really didn't care. Not after all those years of abandonment.

His father was about to reply when a giant mass of ice suddenly flew in through the open window. Hans looked at the bird, about the size of his torso, crafted of delicate ice in shades of red, gold and pinks, a crown of feathers atop its head. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped drastically, making it possible for the men to see their breaths.

Hans rose, beckoning to the door. "It's time you leave."

"I thought you summoned us here for business?" Edward snarled.

"And now I'm sending you away in favour of more important business. You'll hear what I wanted to discuss tomorrow, like everyone else. Now get out, before I have the guards escort you to your chambers."

* * *

**As always, you people have been incredibly awesome to me! I have over 100 reviews (never expected that when I started writing, to be honest) and I feel we're not even halfway through the story! Please keep being as awesome as you are! Suggestions, criticism and compliments, as always, are welcomed via review/PM! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

She crumpled the little piece of paper in her hand as she looked at the city below her. Onyx Tower's top-most balcony allowed for a good view of her empire. Not all of it, that'd be ridiculous. Her empire was too large to be viewed in full, no matter where she'd go. And it would grow. Oh, yes, it would grow so much larger.

_But this is a major setback_, she thought to herself, sending a tuft of pitch-black mist at the delivery bird. She leant down on the railing, watching as the bird started pulling out feathers from its wings. She didn't actually see it though, her mind many miles south from her tower.

_He messed up, and it's going to cost us. Shouldn't have sent that bloody peacock on important business anyway. Should have known something would ruffle his feathers. And now he has exposed himself... and my plans._

Gregor's footfalls behind her forced her to stop mulling, with which she was none too pleased. Dark mist had started whirling around her in large quantities, and as she swivelled around to face her most loyal companion, it shot towards him like a shark smelling blood in the water, filling the entire room with her dark energy.

She had to give him credit. Immunity or not, he never even flinched. He just stood there, waiting for her to calm down. That in itself aggravated her even more. She knew her mist had no effect on him – it never had. But every now and then she grew annoyed with his placid ways, _wanting_ him to be impressed by her. To _fear_ her like all the others.

"Something wrong, Milady?" he asked in his sullen baritone voice once she was calmed down somewhat.

"He screwed up."

"Who screwed up? And what does the bird have to do with it?"

She returned her attention to the messenger bird. It's wing was completely devoid of feathers now, its sharp beak instead pulling at the flesh underneath. She sighed in frustration, flicked her wrist, and watched as the bird hopped of the balcony. It would fall to his death at the bottom of the tower. _Serves him right for bringing bad news_.

"Clint exposed himself in Arendelle. The Ice Queen isn't a fool. She'll connect the dots."

"That she will. But everything will be fine. The plan is in motion and no one can do anything to change it. Clint will receive his punishment upon his return, I'm sure you'll see to that."

She wasn't paying attention anymore. She willed her mist to become more tangible, almost like thick, black smoke, and collect upon her head. After a few seconds, it started taking the shape of a crown.

"Say Gregor, wouldn't you think it's time for a coronation?" she smiled wickedly, studying her reflection in the large mirror on the wall.

"I'll see to it right away, Milady," Gregor replied solemnly, taking his mistress' whimsical attitude and sudden change in subject in stride.

* * *

Snow was falling from the grey skies in a genteel manner, and, of course, it immediately reminded Anna of the Queen. A quick glance at the clock told her that she still had three more hours before she would be expected at the meeting.

"Frida," she chimed, turning to one of her servants. "Would you mind joining me for a stroll into the city?"

The raven-haired servant looked up and nodded with a bright smile. "Of course, Anna. I'll arrange a guard detail – the Queen wouldn't forgive me if something happened to you. Shall I meet you at the front gates in fifteen minutes?"

"Sure thing. Thank you."

As the servant left, Anna was about to start collecting her belongings, but they were all handed to her by her other servants. They all smiled amiably as they pulled a fur cape around Anna's shoulders. This was definitely something she was never going to get used to. She had requested the servants call her _Anna_, rather than constantly being addressed as _Ms. Oaken, _but it still felt odd to have six servants around to see to her every whim.

At the front gates, Anna found Frida waiting patiently, three guards armed with halberds standing behind her. Together they strolled downhill, soon entering the city proper, in an amiable silence.

"May I ask you something, Anna?" the servant asked after a while.

Anna was taking in the Yule decorations in the harbour, but nodded in response nonetheless.

"Why does Queen Elsa take such an interest in you?"

"I..." Her mind drifted back to the tourney, then to the kiss, then even further back to the little outing in the ice garden, the reading in the library, the dinner when Anna first visited the capital city, Elsa's stay at Oaken Farm, even the intense gaze send her way on the village square, just when Elsa exited the carriage came back to mind. "I really don't know..."

And that was the truth. Mostly, at least. She wasn't going to tell Frida about the kiss they'd shared, or the top secret ice-business. But Elsa had already taken an interest in her _before_ those two events. And as much as Anna wanted Elsa to feel the way she felt, she really wasn't sure about it. But she'd decided to stop worrying, and just take it as it came.

"... don't you think?"

"Huh? Sorry, I must have zoned out. Could you... repeat?"

Frida giggled. "I was just saying I think it's kind of cute how Her Majesty dotes on you..."

Anna felt the blood rushing to her face, her eyes frantically searching for a way out of the conversation, and eventually settling on a quaint little bookstore. Without saying anything, she bustled off into the shop, Frida following close behind and the guards stationing themselves in front of the window.

The store was completely empty, save for Anna, Frida, and the old, withered man behind the counter. He smiled kindly, although he did look a little surprised to suddenly have people in his shop. Which, Anna thought, was odd, considering it was ten in the morning and the city was already bustling.

Frida had dropped her earlier line of inquiry, but now that she was here, Anna felt compelled to look through the bookshelves. She picked up several tomes containing fairy tales and old folklore. After nearly ten minutes of browsing, her eye fell on a large, leather-bound volume – _Faerie Creatures_ printed on its cover. Anna slowly picked it up, fingering the yellowed pages carefully. It appeared to be a compendium of mythical creatures, containing detailed descriptions, histories and other minutia. But those almost seemed irrelevant when Anna's eyes landed on the images. _Maybe I could have Elsa make some of these_, she thought as a blush crept onto her cheeks again.

"Excuse me, sir? How much does this book cost?"

The man looked pensively. "Nine gold pieces, miss."

Anna bit her lower lip in worry. Taking a quick peek in her money pouch revealed that she _did_ actually have that amount of money. But to spend it on one book?

"But I'll sell it to a young mind like yours for seven."

_Sold!_

Anna nodded as she started shaking the gold coins out of her pouch. "Could you have it sent to the castle, perhaps? I wouldn't want it to damage in the snow..."

The man squinted his eyes slightly while taking out pen and paper. "What's your name, My Lady?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm not a lady! I'm Anna Oaken, a farmer from Hellmark?"

For a moment, the man's eyes went wide as saucers. He quickly ducked underneath his counter, and Anna listened to the rustling of paper until he returned to her view. "I see. I will deliver the book to the castle personally, Miss," he bowed. _Why does everyone curtsy or bow? I'm not a Lady!_ She dropped the coins onto the counter, but the man quickly pushed them back to her.

"No, no. It has already been paid for."

Anna furrowed her brow. "How can it be paid for? I only just decided to buy it, and I haven't paid?"

The old man smiled. "Well, then consider it a gift..."

They returned outside, the confused expression still plastered on Anna's face. Frida insisted she shouldn't worry about it, and practically dragged her to one of the market stalls. Anna took in the myriad of colours and accessories, varying from simple hair ribbons to shoelaces. After a while, she settled on a small bundle, containing green and blue hair ribbons. She handed it to the vendor, not noticing Frida standing behind her, waving her arms frantically.

Once the vendor nodded, and Anna turned around to see the reason, Frida had already returned to her normal, inhibited self. "How much do I owe you?" she asked the vendor.

"Nothing, Miss," followed by another curtsy. _What?_

"The sign says ten pieces of silver...?"

"The sign is outdated," the vendor smiled, violently pulling it down. "The ribbons are free."

With growing frustration, Anna and her trail sauntered down another street. A door opened and a bell ringed, causing Anna to turn her attention to her left. The rich scent of chocolate caused her nostrils to flare, and she unconsciously entered the little building.

As soon as she was inside, it became evident that this was a more high-end chocolate vendor, a rich collection of pastries, snacks and other sweets splayed out over several tables. The prices, however, were more staggering than the scent of chocolate that overwhelmed Anna.

"How can I help you, Miss...?"

"Oaken," Anna answered a tad morosely. "But these prices are a little outside my budget."

The vendor's smile grew as she took Anna's hand and led her to the counter. "No need to worry about finances, Miss. That has all been taken care of."

_Well, enough is enough..._ "How?"

The vendor seemed to pick up on Anna's somewhat indignant tone, as she reached for a little slip of paper and handed it to her.

_I, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, First of my Name, hereby decree that the following individuals, during the duration of the Yule Celebrations in Arendelle, shall have their wares provided for by the Crown: Princess Rapunzel of Corona, Princess Merida of DunBroch, Miss Anna Oaken of Hellmark._

_The expenses of any and all purchases made by these individuals shall be recorded, and directed towards the Steward of Arendelle Castle. The Crown will repay each debt before the end of the Yule Celebrations, and thanks the shopkeepers and vendors for their patience and cooperation._

A small smile grew across Anna's lips as she read the little note. _I should have known. Typically Elsa..._ She handed it back to the vendor, her attention already shifting. Suddenly, she browsed the chocolaty wares before her with renewed interest.

* * *

Elsa sat in her throne, looking as the dozens of servants were preparing the table for the meeting, placing chairs, laying out the seating arrangement, and ensuring that drinks and snacks would be within everyone's reach. Elsa had arrived uncharacteristically early, a fact she chalked up to nerves. No matter what, this meeting was going to be an unpleasant one.

She looked over the seating arrangement again, reading the tags placed on the large circular table. Hans on her immediate left – far away from his own family, as requested – and Rapunzel and Merida seated on the opposite side of the table, left and right across from her. Despite her station, Elsa wasn't entirely comfortable with large groups of people, and this arrangement would give her some faces to anchor onto.

The seat immediately right of her was reserved for Anna. Hopefully, that way the meeting would be a little less daunting for the bubbly redhead. Elsa felt bad for dragging her into this, but she didn't really have a choice.

Kai walked up to her, holding out a piece of paper. "What's this?" she asked, looking at the document between them.

"Ms. Oaken went into town earlier today. _This_ is the bill," the steward smiled congenially.

Elsa took the slip of paper and folded it open.

_The Paper Cut – 9 pieces of gold_

_Effany's hairwares – 10 pieces of silver_

_Arken's Chocolates – 39 pieces of gold_

_Helena's Accessories – 12 pieces of gold, 25 pieces of silver_

"See to it that it is all paid for, please?"

Kai nodded and hurried off again, leaving Elsa free to let her mind wander again. _39 pieces of gold indebted to a chocolate store? What did Anna do, buy the entire shop? If she ate all that, I'm going to have the servants fetch a larger seat for her..._

"Elsa! We have important business to discuss with you?" A voice sung behind her throne.

"I know, that's why I called this meeting," Elsa smiled wryly, watching Rapunzel and Merida enter her vision.

"This bloody war can wait, lass," Merida scoffed. "We have actual _important_ business we need to discuss."

Elsa sat up in her throne, leaning forward eagerly. Merida and Rapunzel both looked frighteningly serious. Solemn, even. _More sorcery? Another foreign threat? Oh by Odin and Freya, don't tell me something happened to Anna!_

"It's about Anna," Rapunzel started, as if reading Elsa's mind. The young queen felt her stomach lurch and her heart suddenly jumping into her throat.

Merida crossed her arms, blowing a strand of hair from her face. "Why aren't the two of you engaged yet?"

"What?" Well, that certainly wasn't what Elsa had expected. She shot the two women an angry look. "You had me worried!"

Rapunzel shrugged, half apologetically. "_You_ have _us_ worried."

"And why's that?"

"You're courting the lass, you big oaf! Are ye even taking this seriously?"

"I am, but things aren't as simple as-"

"You _kissed!"_

Elsa shook her head dismissively. "It was just a mistletoe kiss. Mistletoe kisses don't mean anything."

Rapunzel's eyes grew wide as saucers, while Merida actually cursed under her breath.

"Of course your kiss meant something, you _dunce_. Are you completely out of your mind?" Merida almost shouted, being shushed by Rapunzel and Elsa both.

Rapunzel, always the more reasonable of the two, took Elsa's hand. "Elsa. You told us Anna practically challenged you to kiss her right?" Elsa answered with a mute nod, fearing Rapunzel's next words. "That means she _really _wanted it. She wouldn't have taken such a risk just for fun. You're the Queen, and she's a farmer! The fact you actually did kiss her must have struck her as odd, and you can't expect her to pursue it! Your kiss probably gave her hope, but you have to actively work on this, Elsa!"

Elsa clasped her hands over her face. "This is all so confusing," she muttered, ensuring that her hands muffled the sound enough to be inaudible. Merida's ears, however, were trained enough to make out the words.

"Aye, it is. That's why we're here for ye, aye? Just go and hang out with her. Surely you've talked about the kiss?"

"Well... no?"

"No?!" This time it was Rapunzel who was incredulous. "Elsa! What were you thinking? You can't kiss someone and NOT talk about it! What must Anna be thinking?"

"I... How should I know?"

"_Exactly._ That is why you need to TALK about this!" Merida nearly yelled, pulling strands of her fiery red mane.

Rapunzel shook her head slightly, eyeing Anna as she sauntered into the large room. "Apparently we have a lot more work to do, Mer," she muttered, slinking away as Anna walked up to them.

Now relieved of the two princesses, Elsa gave Anna a small wave, motioning to the chair besides her. "Hey. This is your seat... Did you... enjoy your morning?" Her eye fell to the brooch attached to her dress, a simple silver pin sporting Arendelle's signature crocus and snowflake. Anna followed her gaze.

"Oh, yeah. I went shopping! They told me you paid for everything, so I... may have indulged myself a little."

"In chocolate, mostly, I believe..." Elsa replied with a reserved grin, which grew even wider as Anna started blushing. "It's alright, don't worry. Although, I am curious how you can spend that much gold on chocolate..."

"So," Anna spoke, stretching the syllable for several seconds. "What were you and Rapunzel and Merida talking about? Looked pretty intense..."

Elsa was immediately thrown off by the unexpected question, not even taking note of the sudden change of subject. "Uh... It was just... Nothing really. Not important."

A flash of concern shot across Anna's face, but before she could inquire any further, Hans plopped down in the chair on her other side, sighing theatrically. Elsa wasn't certain she'd ever been happier about an interruption.

"I take it your talk with your family did not go as planned?" Elsa asked, looking at Hans' scowl.

"Indeed, it did not. It went... as expected, I suppose."

Elsa nodded pensively, watching as other royals and high nobles took their seats. "Shame..."

Elsa let her eyes slide across the occupants of the table. It was an impressive gathering, to say the least. _She_ certainly had never gathered such a high-born group before, and she was quite certain her father hadn't either. Then again, even the history books had trouble remembering Arendelle's last war.

Immediately on her right was Hans, Prince of the Southern Isles. Next to him were Belle and Adam, the King and Queen of France. They were flanked by the Duke of Weselton. Next to the duke sat two princes of the Emerald Isles, the Princess of Foxcliff, the King and Queen of Corona, joined by Princess Rapunzel and Prince-Consort Eugene. Next to her friends were the royalty of Denmark, Ariel and Eric, Princes Edmund and Edward of the Southern Isles with their father Wulfgar, Merida and her parents, next two whom were the royal families of Adylla, Galinnon and Mardored. And then, finally, there was Anna, the odd one out.

And everyone was staring at Elsa. _Of course they are. This is my kingdom, after all. And I called this meeting. And most of them don't even know why..._

"Welcome, everyone. And thank you for attending this meeting, despite the Yule celebrations. I hate to darken our moods, but the subject matter of this meeting simply does not allow for leniency. See, we are all gathered here today to discuss war."

As was to be expected, the table erupted into a raucous chattering and mumbling at Elsa's final word. Corona and DunBroch were the only ones that did not appear surprised. Then again, Elsa had personally seen to that already. _Wouldn't want to blindside my friends..._

Anna, however, swung her head around to Elsa, looking at her with an expression that betrayed confusion, horror and worry. Underneath the table, Elsa reached out and placed her hand on Anna's leg in a gesture of reassurance. Anna, apparently not expecting such a thing, nearly jumped out of her chair, painfully slamming Elsa's hand between her knee and the underside of the table.

_Thank goodness everyone is too distracted to have caught that_, Elsa mused silently. Anna shot her an apologetic look, and Elsa merely smiled to indicate that no harm was done.

_Damn, that hurt..._

After a few minutes, everyone seemed to silence again. Everyone, except for King Wulfgar of the Southern Isles. "Are you declaring war?"

"No, of course not. The threat does not come from Arendelle, or any other nation, kingdom or duchy represented in this room. The threat comes from the north, beyond the mountains. Apparently, the Onyx Tower has been occupied..."

Some gasped or covered their mouths, but most of the occupants of the table merely looked confused. _To be expected..._

"For everyone who does not know him yet, this is Prince Hans. He's my..."

"Brother," Hans supplied handily as he got up.

"Adopted..." Elsa added, almost smiling.

"And spymaster," Hans immediately followed up.

"That too, yes," Elsa couldn't contain her smile now. "He will fill you all in on the details."

Elsa sat down again, content to let Hans do most of the talking for the time being.

"The Onyx Tower is... a tower," Hans started. "It's located in Shadowacre, far to the north. Legend has it that it used to be the dwelling of a dark sorcerer hell bent on world domination. While I'm not certain that is true – I do know that it is, at this very moment, the dwelling of a dark sorceress, hell bent on world domination."

There was a slight pause before Hans continued. "A little over a year ago, we started receiving rapports about strange events taking place in Shadowacre – a kingdom that has always been rather solitary. At first, we thought nothing of it, they did not bother us, so we did not bother them. Then we started receiving reports that armies were massing, and advancing into Blackmeadow, Estershade and Fogmount. While this was... concerning, to say the least, we decided to remain impassive. Arendelle had nothing to do with those kingdoms, so there was no need for us to interfere. With Queen Elsa's permission, I sent out several of my informants. Not long thereafter, Shadehall and Greybell were also conquered."

Everyone seemed disturbed by Hans' summary of past events, hanging on his every word. "My informants returned to me with the oddest of tales. Someone had unlocked Onyx Tower, taken up residence in the – allegedly – cursed abode, and now commanded the armies of six kingdoms. A _single_ someone. Naturally, this required investigation. Later still we were told that this someone did not gain all that power naturally. My informants whispered many things, but no one had been able to come close to the mysterious monarch, so the truth remained shrouded. Magic, some told me. A demon, others said. Some even went so far as to tell me that it was a God. I would have discarded each and every one of these stories, had I not lived in the same castle as the Mistress of Ice and Snow."

Hans beckoned the Elsa at the mention, before continuing. "One of my best spies returned to me then, with more answers than I – we – could have hoped for. We were not facing a god or demon. No, our quarrel was with a _girl_. Violet Yuwin, the seventeen year old daughter of a seamstress and a lumberjack."

All eyes were now on Hans, some concerned, some amused, some displaying plain disbelief or even annoyance. Finally, Hans' father started laughing. "Surely you don't expect us to believe a girl can command an army?"

Hans glowered at the king, who stared back into his eyes. However, when he noticed many other pairs glowering at him as well – kings and queens of empires more powerful than his own, he settled back down. Hans smiled acidly. "No god or demon, evidently. But there was certainly magic at play in the Onyx Tower..."

Another pause. Elsa wasn't sure whether it was for dramatic effect or for Hans to gather his thoughts. "Violet Yuwin is apparently a gifted individual. According to our intelligence, she commands a form of magic as of yet unknown to us. If my spies are to be believed, it manifests itself in the form of a dark mist, or perhaps black smoke. What it does, we do not quite know, but it allows her to command multiple kingdoms, and slowly but surely, she is making her way to Arendelle. Now, can anyone tell me what the Northern Kingdoms call Arendelle?"

It remained eerily silent. Finally, Rapunzel was the one to break it. "The key to the south."

"Exactly," Hans smiled. "Care to explain?"

Rapunzel nodded, gathering her wits. "Well, the Northern Kingdoms are separated from the Southern Kingdoms by the mountains. The only passage through said mountains, as far as we know, is on the northern border of Arendelle. If anyone from the north wishes to get to any kingdom in the south, say, Corona, or France, or even the Southern Isles, they need to pass through Arendelle, right?"

Hans nodded, but didn't get a chance to respond verbally before someone else piped in. "Rubbish!" the voice of the Duke of Weselton squeaked. "They could come by sea!"

The Queen of Denmark, Ariel, immediately cut him off. "Not likely. The seas up there are frozen for ten out of twelve months. And I mean totally frozen, not just ice here and there. The other two months, they're plagued by storms so fierce, no ship would be mad or sturdy enough to get through."

Hans nodded again. "True. So, one way or another, they're coming to Arendelle. In fact, for all we know, they may _already_ be here in some capacity. I'm certain you have all heard of the recent statue-debacle. Magic is an extremely rare occurrence – and Queen Elsa is... I need to rephrase that..." Here Hans suddenly seemed confused, looking at Elsa, then to Anna, and back to Elsa again. "I was going to say that Queen Elsa was the only one in Arendelle with magic – and both the former king and queen, as well as Queen Elsa and myself, have done extensive searches to prove try and prove opposite – but this has recently been... complicated. Regardless, Queen Elsa is the only one with expressive powers, and we are absolutely certain that there is no one in Arendelle that can bring statues to life."

More muttering around the table as Hans retook his seat and Elsa rose from hers, after which everyone silenced again. "Now... we know war is coming to Arendelle. Thus, we turn to our allies for support. Speak up now, will you stand with Arendelle, or will you fail her when she needs you most?"

Rapunzel was the first to get to her feet, her parents and husband immediately following. "As always, Corona will stand by Arendelle's side," she spoke, her voice clear and determined. Elsa nodded in thanks, watching as Merida and her parents also stood. "DunBroch never turns down a good fight," Merida laughed, resulting in a scowl and a nudge from her mother. "What _Princess_ Merida means to say is that Arendelle has DunBroch's full support."

Belle was the next one to rise. "You can count on France to have your back. Good friends are hard to find..."

Ariel and Eric also got to their feet. "The alliance between our kingdoms is young and fragile," they started off, "but we will do whatever we can to allow it to grow stronger. Denmark will side with Arendelle in this matter."

The Emerald Isles, Adylla and Mardored were also quick to declare their support to Arendelle. Elsa turned her attention to the only one who still remained seated. The King of Galinnon slowly rose. "Much as I sympathise with Arendelle's predicament, Galinnon is still recovering from its recent civil war. We can spend small quantities of supplies, but I fear that is as far as our involvement can go."

"Arendelle is grateful for the support nonetheless," Elsa nodded, turning her attention to the Southern Isles family.

"Absolutely not!" the king bellowed. "I can't believe you're all falling for these fairy tales! I doubt there is a threat, and even if there is one, the Southern Isles will deal with them when it serves _our_ gains. We will not follow a child queen into a war with an imaginary witch of the north! Preposterous!"

The Duke of Weselton immediately jumped up. "Agreed! Preposterous!"

Elsa nodded slowly. "Very well. In that case, you are excused. I expect you to have left my kingdom before nightfall."

"What?" they all asked in unison.

Elsa cocked her head to the side. "Arendelle will not spend precious resources entertaining men who will not come to her support in the darkest of times. Consider yourselves lucky the sanctions are not more severe – you did insult me, after all."

"_Insult you?_" the king replied, his voice venomous. "You've insulted us! All of us!"

Elsa merely cocked an eyebrow. She didn't feign it – she really had no idea what he was talking about. The king, however, pointed to Anna. "A farmer! You want us to celebrate Yule with a wretched _commoner?_ Giving her a room among _royalty_? Surely you can't expect us to take you seriously if you have her joining a war council!?"

"Ms. Oaken has a perfectly valid reason to be here. If you had declared your support to Arendelle, you would have been allowed to remain in this room and discover so for yourself. Since you didn't, I'm kindly requesting you to leave."

"Just because she's your little concubine doesn't mean you can have the whor-"

The king never got a chance to finish his sentence as frost suddenly shot towards him over the table. A sharp spike of jagged ice grew from the tabletop towards his throat, coming to rest precisely underneath his chin, where it suddenly stopped. "I _dare_ you to finish that sentence," Elsa growled. She knew she shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be responding this violently. She shouldn't be acting this rashly. The Southern Isles might declare war on Arendelle just for this action. But he insulted Anna, and Elsa just didn't care about anything else.

The king merely bristled. The icy spike pushed into his chin a little further, nicking the skin and drawing a single drop of blood. Everyone stood entirely motionless as King Wulfgar and Queen Elsa continued staring each other down. Elsa only pulled her eyes away when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. _Anna's hand._ Anna shook her head from left to right slightly, not moving her hand. "He isn't worth it, Your Majesty."

Elsa had to do a double take, because it sounded so odd to hear Anna calling her by her title, rather than her name. Only then did she realise that they were still in a room full of people. Foreign dignitaries, no less. She nodded to Anna, retracting her ice. It dissipated in a puff of steam. "Consider yourself lucky. This time..." Elsa glowered. "Guards, please see to it that Weselton and the Southern Isles have a ... smooth and swift departure."

Everyone kept staring at the large double doors, even after they had closed again. Eventually, the only one still sitting rose, drawing their attention back to the meeting. "The Foxcliff military is at your command, My Queen," the only remaining princess curtsied.

"Good," Elsa replied, calling herself back to attention. "We can discuss the precise form of your support individually at a later time," she continued, addressing the entire group. "For now, I think we should just... touch upon the subject of magic – which is also the reason for Ms. Oaken's presence, in case anyone else was wondering about that. I know some of you are not wholly unfamiliar with certain forms of magic..." She shot brief glances to Corona and DunBroch, as well as France and Denmark. "But, in light of our current predicament, I feel we need to discuss it."

On this everyone seemed to agree. "As Prince Hans explained, we are not entirely sure of the effects of the magic within Lady Yuwin, that's what she wishes to be addressed as."

Queen Elinor immediately responded. "That's going to be a big problem. You can't win a war without knowing what you're fighting."

"Well," Belle chimed in. "Apparently it brings statues to life."

"Doubtful," Rapunzel's father rebuked. "I doubt the leader of this huge empire just... traveled into Arendelle and bewitched a few statues."

Belle nodded. "Oversight on my part..."

"Mind control."

Everyone suddenly turned towards Anna, Elsa included. For a moment, the poor girl looked as if she wanted to melt away, but she continued talking nonetheless. "She would need some form of control over others, right? I don't see how else she could have gained so much support..."

Everyone seemed to think about that, several people nodding. "Well, it's a start," Rapunzel smiled. "I guess we'll just take it from there?"

"I see why you wanted her present, Elsa," Belle added, raising her eyebrows slightly.

"Yes, well... This was not the reason," Elsa smiled. "Anna seems to... have a strange connection to _my_ magic. That's why I wanted her to be present today. Somehow, she makes my magic... stronger. More controlled as well."

"How?" Elinor asked straight away.

"We don't know..."

"Can your magic be used in this war?" the Princess of Foxcliff asked, almost desperately.

Elsa looked over to Anna. "With Anna's help... I think so." She held out a hand, creating a rabbit on the table. She gently pressed her index finger to its head, after which it started running. It fell off the table, turned around, ran underneath it, and slammed against the wall as it seemingly forgot to brake. "That's how it was..." she muttered, before creating a new rabbit. Anna, immediately taking the hint, stroked its back one time.

The rabbit turned towards her and nuzzled into her hand, before hopping off, jumping into Rapunzel's lap. "Ahh... He's so cute! Can I keep him?"

"She," Elsa corrected her.

"Her," Anna corrected at the same time.

The entire table shared a laugh at that, especially as Anna and Elsa both started to blush slightly. After a while, Corin, Rapunzel's father, got to his feet.

"With all due respect, Elsa... I think we need to know more about your magic, and this connection, before we rely on it fully. We do not know the source of your magic. And we know even less about Miss Oaken's effect on it. Is it something personal between the two of you? Does she possess a magic of her own? These are blanks we need to fill in if we want to use your ice effectively..."

Elsa nodded. "Agreed. But how do we learn?"

Hans cleared his throat. "If there are no objections, I can gather all the experts and mystics I can find?"

That seemed to work for everyone. After a few more remarks, Elsa decided that they had done enough for one day. She thanked everyone for their attendance and support, and everyone slowly started filing out.

Eventually, only Hans, Elsa and Anna remained in the large room. "Well, that went... better than expected," Elsa muttered to the ceiling.

"Much," Hans chuckled. "Thanks for banishing my father. He had it coming."

Elsa's eyes grew a little wider, and she quickly turned to Anna. "Anna! Thank you... for stopping me. I'm not really sure what came over me, nor am I sure of what I might have done if you hadn't..."

"It's alright," Anna smiled back, looking at her with a bright glow in her eyes. "You defended me... Ferociously, I could add... But everything is okay now..."

Hans got up and stretched his back. "Well, Your Majesty, Your Highness," he smiled, bowing to Elsa and Anna both. "If you would excuse me, I'm off to round up all the mystic and magic experts I can find."

Anna stared after him, eyes confused and brow furrowed. "Why did he call me highness? Isn't that a title reserved for..."

"Princes and Princesses, yes," Elsa muttered softly, not offering a further explanation as she glared at Hans' retreating form. "Princess-Consort too..."

"Princess-Consort?" Anna asked, clearly not able of following the conversation, or Elsa's line of thinking.

_Oh dear... How am I going to...?_

"Yes... That's what you would be if we would... get married."

"...get married."

Anna's brain instantly went into overload, utterly unprepared and incapable of processing Elsa's words. She was very grateful for the fact that Elsa looked as shocked as she felt, at least that convinced her that she hadn't misheard what she thought she had just heard.

"..."

Anna tried to form a sentence, but random words flitted across her brain, refusing to stay in place, and apparently not willing to line up in a sentence that would make any kind of sense. She tried again, and again, only vaguely aware that her lower jaw remained unhinged.

"... aiming at, but we should probably-"

_Wait. No no no. Elsa's talking. Brain! Pay attention. Need to absorb this. Important._

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

Anna was eternally grateful for the fact that Elsa did not look annoyed or even bothered when Anna, rather blatantly, revealed she hadn't been present mentally. She just took a deep breath.

"I was saying that Hans and-"

"Your Majesty!" The doors to the meeting room opened with a loud creak, causing both him to physically flinch when Kai walked in. Anna had to give the Queen credit where it was due – she recovered from the entire situation remarkably quickly.

"Yes, Kai?"

Kai, somewhat taken aback by the cold and sharp edges of Elsa's voice wavered for a moment. "Your... guests have arrived, Your Majesty."

"Of course. Uhm, show them in?"

Kai ushered two people into the room, and had Anna been capable of closing her mouth, it would simply have fallen to the floor again when her father and brother walked in.

"Father? Kristoff? What are you-"

She was already running towards them before she realised she had gotten up from her seat, wrapping the two men in as big a bear hug as she could muster with her tiny frame.

"I asked them to come over for two days," Elsa spoke softly from behind. "I didn't feel comfortable making you choose between your family and me for Yule. They'll be attending the banquet tomorrow as well."

Anna released her family, pivoted around and wrapped her arms around Elsa this time. She was only vaguely aware of the shocked gasps her family produced behind her. She was much more aware of Elsa suddenly tensing up as if she were electrified.

_Then again, some people aren't prepared for bear hugs every moment of the day..._

"I also have some... business with your father," Elsa added demurely.

Anna shot her a questioning glance as she released the Queen – more out of necessity than want – and stepped back. "Oh?"

"Nothing to worry about... Not yet, at least," Elsa smiled. It was odd, Anna thought, how easily Elsa's smile could appease her.

"Welcome to the castle. I assume Gerda has shown you your rooms and taken care of your needs?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Kristoff bowed.

"Good," Elsa nodded approvingly. "Mr. Oaken, would you be so kind as to follow me to my study? I'd like to get this out of the way as soon as possible so you can spend your time with Anna..." Asger nodded, but Elsa wavered for a moment. "Anna, shall we... continue this conversation at a later time?"

The entire mess that their conversation had been – _Geez, were we really just talking about marriage? To each other?! – _had almost slipped Anna's mind, but quickly came flooding back, causing her blush to return at an equal pace.

"Yes... Please..."

Elsa nodded, smiled, and then whisked her father away. Anna bashfully looked at Kristoff, who grinned at her with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "So, how's the little princess doing in the big castle?"

Anna scoffed. "I'm great... but uh... why are you here?"

Kristoff scratched the back of his head as he followed Anna to the gardens. "Well, father got a letter from the Queen... Wait, I think I've got it right here..." He started patting the many pockets on his outfit. "Apparently, the Queen had something to discuss with dad... about you."

"About me?!" _This day cannot possibly get any weirder. Free shopping spree, war council, marriage talk with the Queen, mystery meeting about me?_

"Ah, here it is!" Kristoff handed her a slip of high-quality parchment, the blue wax of Elsa's snowflake-seal broken. "Read it. It's the best answer I can get you..."

_Dear Mr. Oaken,_

_I am not certain whether Anna has written to you or not, but if the latter is the case: she arrived at Arendelle Castle safely on the evening of her departure from Hellmark, and the journey was uneventful. She now remains in good health._

_I feel guilty about taking her away from you and your son during Yule, and thus have decided on breaking with several more regulations and requesting your presence during the Yule Banquet, three days from now (see the attached invitation for further details). I'm certain Anna would enjoy spending time with you, this holiday is after all meant for family as well as friends. _

_There is also another matter I'd like to discuss with you, concerning your daughter. I am hesitant to entrust the details of this matter to paper – which, after all, is privy to encroaching eyes when not handled properly – and would prefer to discuss it in person. Rest assured that nothing is amiss, and there is no need to worry about Anna personally, her reputation, or that of your family. I fear, for now, that is all the information I can relay._

_Signed,_

_Queen Elsa of Arendelle_

"What the..." Anna muttered to herself as she folded the letter again. Without paying attention, Anna's feet had brought her to Elsa's ice garden, and Kristoff now stood in the middle of the sculptures, admiring them. She watched as he reached out to press a finger against the wing of a hawk, immediately withdrawing it with a sharp hiss.

"Wow that's cold..."

Anna smiled a soft, albeit somewhat troubled, smile, laying her hand on its beak. She didn't notice Kristoff's amazed look, totally absorbed in her own thoughts and the feeling of Elsa's magic running through her body. "Not that cold... Not that cold at all..."

* * *

**So, subtlety is definitely out of the window at this point. Anyway, thank you all for your amazing support. My muscles are still sore from all the happy-dances, but I'm ready for a new round of dancing! :) So, PLEASE, let me know what you think, and help me be as good a writer as I can be!**

** Also, a little shameless advertising for myself: I recently published a new Elsanna story under the title "Unwavering Affections" sooooo... If you're a fan of my writing, it might be worth your time to check it out. Just saying... :3**


	10. Chapter 10

Anna was having the time of her life. She had enjoyed breakfast with her father and brother, after which she had shown them around the castle. She had grinned at the amazement her family displayed towards all Anna's servants, and the general respect everyone seemed to have for her. It had become even better when Belle, the queen of France, had encountered them in one of the corridors and casually struck up a conversation with her. At that point, Anna thought that their heads just might have exploded if she kept adding to it.

Hence Anna's utter glee when they encountered Rapunzel and Merida, who interacted with her as if they were old friends – something that didn't even strike Anna as odd anymore – causing Asger and Kristoff to shoot each other odd glances. Once they took their leave from the princesses, Kristoff scratched the back of his head, following Anna through the castles gate.

"So... you really are some sort of a princess now, then?" He chuckled with an amused glint in his eyes.

"No... Why do you say that?"

"Well... In the span of half an hour, you had cosy little chats with Queen Belle of France, Princess Rapunzel of Corona and Princess Merida of DunBroch... Don't tell me you don't find that at least _a little _odd?"

Anna considered that for a while as they walked towards the city. "Well, I used to... But not anymore, really. Elsa's been nothing but great to me... All the others too, really. Except for the King of the Southern Isles... and... well, I suppose Elsa more or less kicked him out of Arendelle after threatening his life..."

Asger and Kristoff looked at each other, raising their brows behind Anna's back. "Well, here we are!" Anna beckoned to the many quaint shops lining the main road. "We can go anywhere you want, and I can buy you anything you want! And we won't even have to pay!"

Before Kristoff could ask anything, Anna answered the unspoken question. "Another perk of being close to Els- Queen Elsa..." Kristoff's eyes lit up, and he immediately dashed into a store for fresh vegetables, wanting to buy a supply of carrots for Sven. Anna followed him inside, and waited for him to scour through the many, many carrots – apparently not all carrots were equal.

"So, papa," she started while watching her brother's legs dangling just above the ground, his upper body completely engrossed in the carrots. "What did you and Elsa have to discuss about me?"

Asger suddenly looked incredibly uncomfortable. It was a strange sight, especially for a man as big as he was. "Nothing, Anna. Just business about the farm, ya?"

"Nope. Kristoff showed me the letter, so I know that's not true."

Asger shot his son an accusing glance, despite him being unable to actually see it. "The queen has asked me not to disclose the information to you. She wanted to discuss it with you personally, hm?"

"Is it about the war?"

"War?"

"No. No war. Nothing. Never mind." _Well so much for secrecy. That's exactly why no one ever invites me to top secret meetings._

Luckily, Asger seemed to understand the precarious situation Anna now found herself in, and he merely smiled and shook his head fondly. "No, that's not what we talked about, Anna. Just... wait for Queen Elsa to talk to you, ya?"

"Aww, come on, Papa... Can't you just tell me? I promise to act surprised when Elsa brings it up."

Her father looked unusually hesitant, and refused to answer. Anna decided to drop the subject, at least for the time being, hoping that Elsa would approach her soon. Very soon.

They continued their shopping spree, with Anna continuously encouraging her family to keep buying whatever they wanted – after all, if Elsa was mad enough to pay for everything, Anna fully intended to make use of that – but eventually Asger insisted on returning to the castle. Checking the time, Anna realised that the banquet would start in a few hours.

As they reached the main gates, Anna was stopped by a man carrying a notebook and a pencil. She waved her father and brother to go on, and two of the five guards that had tailed them throughout town followed them. The other three were busy keeping the man away from Anna, but she nodded to indicate she could talk to him.

"Ms. Oaken, such an immense pleasure to meet you!" he smiled, nearly grovelling at her feet. "I'm a reporter for the Arendelle Times, I'm sure you're familiar with it."

Well, Anna _had_ read that newspaper. Maybe twice in her entire life, but yes, she figured that was enough to be 'familiar' with it.

"I'd like to ask you a few questions for an article I'm writing."

"Uhm, I'm not sure if-"

"Are you and Queen Elsa romantically involved?" he immediately fired, all of his earlier timid behaviour suddenly gone.

"What? No!"

"Has Queen Elsa indicated in any way that she's interested in you in a romantic way?"

"Why would you-"

"Has Queen Elsa made any advanced towards you, Miss Oaken?"

"I don't even-"

The reporter continued firing questions at her, and Anna felt that whatever she said would be turned into an incriminating story – even if the reporter didn't indicate even _hearing_ her answers. Soon enough, Anna realised that he was merely looking for a way to slander Elsa. Without a second though, she turned around and gestured towards the guards.

"We're done. Get him out of here," she commanded with a voice that she didn't quite recognise. One of the guards stepped forward and dragged the incessant reporter away, while the other two escorted Anna inside.

"Permission to speak, Miss?" the elder of the two asked as they marched through the corridors towards the royal wing.

"Uh-huh, sure."

"You handled that situation well."

"He was just looking for an excuse to slander the queen, and I'm not going to let that happen," Anna replied casually.

The guard nodded. "Well, whatever there is between you and Queen Elsa is entirely your own business. I hope I'm not overstepping any boundaries here, but you two seem to like each other a lot and... I probably shouldn't say this..."

"No, please go on."

"You seem to make the queen happy," the guard muttered. "And she seems to make you happy. I don't want to imply anything, but..."

Anna knew very well what he was implying. It was somewhat concerning that people were starting to pick up on this..._thing_ that was going on between her and Elsa. And the worst part was that she didn't even know what this _thing_ was exactly. The only way to find out was talking to Elsa... and with her being the queen and all busy and secretive, that was proving a little difficult. Then again, she had promised that they'd continue their conversation... The one about marriage and titles and utter confusion on Anna's part.

Anna barely realised they had reached her chambers. She turned towards the guard behind her, who now had an uncertain look on his face. "What's your name and rank?"

The man immediately fell to one knee. "Commander Orvik, Miss."

Anna stifled a giggle. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble," she smiled, looking at the worried look on his face. "Just curiosity."

"Of course, Miss."

Anna was welcomed into her chambers by her servants, who were busy cleaning and preparing her outfit for the banquet later that day. She walked over to the writing desk in the corner, and immediately drew out a piece of parchment, starting to write a short note.

_Dear Elsa,_

_I just thought you might like to know I was approached by a reporter from the Arendelle Times near the castle gates. He asked a lot of questions about the two of us being romantically involved (preposterous, right?!). I didn't actually give him any answers, but I don't think that's going to keep him from writing something harmful or indecent._

_Also, you promised me a talk. I don't want to be rude or pushy, but it's getting awfully secretive. You know, with you and father discussing something about me and all?_

_-Anna_

She folded it, sealed it with her fancy griffin-seal, and asked one of the servants to deliver it to Elsa immediately. Naturally, they acted in a perfect display of obedience. Only a mere moment after the door had closed behind the servant, a sturdy knock called for her attention. As usual, one of the servants opened the door for Anna, sampling who was outside.

"Anna? Prince-Consort Eugene of Corona wishes to speak to you. Shall I let him in?"

_Well, duh._

"Yes, please."

Eugene, dressed in a crisp-white suit, stepped into her chambers. Anna immediately rose to curtsy, knowing that was the right thing to do in front of someone who's status – clearly – outranked your own. Eugene, however, just waved his hand in distaste.

"No need for all that stuffiness. I'm just a lowborn man. True, I happened to marry the most beautiful princess ever, but that's beside the point. Can we talk? Without all these additional ears?"

"You can all take a thirty-minute break," Anna told her servants, who immediately left the room. "Better?"

"Much."

"So, what's this about?"

Eugene looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, it's about you. And Queen Elsa. At first I didn't really want to get involved, since it's none of my business, really. But Rapunzel... you know how she is. She was very adamant, and I suppose she's kind of right."

"Right in what?"

"Well, I may be the most suitable to understand your situation."

"My situation?"

Eugene looked at Anna with skepticism plain on his face. After staring Anna down for a while, however, it seemed to dawn on him that Anna really had no idea what he was talking about.

"I was a thief in Corona. A commoner, like you. And... I married a princess. Which was really weird and sort of against the law – I think? – but still okay because I brought her back home after a long time and everyone was grateful and all. Oh, and we were in love, which also helped build our case. Anyway. I know what it's like, is what I mean to say."

"What?"

"Anna. You're in love with Elsa."

Anna's first instinct was to deny it. But really, why would she? Seeing as everyone apparently already made up their minds...

"Is it that obvious?"

Eugene smirked. "Did you know that there is actually a bet going on? About how long it will take for you and Elsa to get engaged? Merida, Rapunzel, Adam and Belle, Ariel and I are all in on it. Some others too, I think. Even the guards are talking about it. The maids. The cooks. It's pretty much the only thing people are talking about this Yule, yet you and Elsa seem to be the only ones who aren't in on it."

Anna sighed. "I know that _I_ am in love with Elsa. I do. Really. But I'm just a farmer, and Elsa's the _Queen_."

Eugene smiled. "I was a _thief_ and Rapunzel was the _Princess_. It still worked out though. I admit, it's a little weird for me, being this Prince-Consort thing and all, but really. It's kind of awesome. Anyway, just saying, don't let titles get in the way of your... love. I don't know Elsa very well, really. But... she doesn't strike me like the person who's just going to take the leap. So maybe you may need to nudge her a little, every now and then?"

Anna nodded, still deep in thought. "Thank you. I think. Can you keep a secret?"

"You're very welcome. And I think I'm obliged to, even if I didn't want to," Eugene said with an exaggerated curtsy.

"Elsa and I kissed. After the first Yule ball... But it was only because of the mistletoe!"

Eugene smiled. "Mistletoe is an outdated tradition. If Elsa kissed you, it was probably because she _wanted_ to. Just food for thought... I should take my leave now, so that Princess-Consort Anna can prepare for the banquet."

Anna, momentarily forgetting her station, swatted his arm. Eugene's frame was sturdier than hers though, and it merely elicited a broad grin on his face. "Don't call me that!"

"Why not? It sounds nice!"

"Just get out..."

"As you wish, Your Highness."

He was out of the door before Anna even got the chance to shoot a glare his way.

* * *

Elsa was sitting in her throne, the Grand Council gathered around the table in front of her. They looked rather peeved about being called in for business during the Yule celebrations, especially since they _should_ be preparing for the banquet. Then again, Elsa though, no preparations would hide their stuffy, dusty personalities.

"Gentlemen, let's keep this meeting short, shall we?" she started, using what Anna had dubbed her 'Queen Voice' to indicate that it wasn't actually a question. "I've been reviewing a few of our laws, and come to the conclusion that they are hopelessly outdated. I wrote up a document revising three of our laws – the first one being the most important."

Everyone turned their attention to the documents Kai had passed around. "As you can see, the first law I wish to revise is in regards to marriage. Arendelle is one of the few kingdoms not supporting same-sex marriages yet, and frankly it's just plain ignorant to keep this law in effect. Any complaints?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. _Score one for me._ "Good, please sign at the indicated paragraph." The scratching of quills filled the air for a few seconds, after which everyone turned their attention back to her. "Now, if you've read on, you see that the next law I wish to revise deals with economical sanctions. As it is now, if a businessman, or anyone really, earns more than a certain amount of money, their tax payments rise significantly. I've done some calculations and come to the conclusion that earning _less_ is actually more profitable than earning more and paying the enforced taxes. I suggest a standardization of tax percentages for several income-scales, in which the Crown gets the money it needs, but people don't feel cheated. Specific tax percentages and income-scales can be discussed at a later opportunity."

There was some minor discussion, but there was considerably less dissent than Elsa had expected. _Good, score two for me. Now for the grand finale_.

"Please sign the indicated paragraph, and then we can move on to the final revision."

Again, the scratching of quills occupied the room. This time, however, she noticed the frowns appearing on the men's faces as they read on. "As indicated by your facial features, you've already read the next revision I wanted to pursue. This is a... personal matter, as you can see. Some weeks prior, we already discussed the fact that I refuse to marry a foreign prince or king or other noble just for the sake of forging an alliance. I still stand by that decision. Now, naturally, none of you can force me to marry anyone against my will. However, it is also not the case that I can marry anyone I like. And that... needs to change."

"Your Majesty, all due respect... if we sign for this revision, you will be able to marry _anyone_."

"That's exactly the point, councilman."

"Even commoners?"

"If you've read the clause properly, you'd have seen that the answer is yes. However, as the clause clearly states, any commoner entering a marital bond with a royal or a noble would automatically become nobility themselves, as would their entire house. While I said this was a personal matter, it does not involve _only_ me. It would be for the benefit of other nobility in Arendelle as well. After all, we do not choose who we love, do we?"

"My Queen, I mean no disrespect, but does this-"

He was interrupted when Kai shuffled to her side, handing her three slips of paper. Two were sealed with a golden sun. _Rapunzel. Not too urgent, they can wait until after this meeting._ The third letter was sealed with a red griffin. Without thinking, Elsa opened the letter and read it. _I suppose I should have expected rumours to spread. That's what I get for bringing a commoner to Yule..._

She nodded to Kai before returning her attention to the council. "Apologies, gentlemen. Please, continue."

"My Queen, as I was saying, I mean absolutely no disrespect, but does this revision, by any chance, have anything to do with Miss Oaken?"

Elsa brought a smile to her face. Not her usual political smile. And far from her true, honest smile. This was more of a challenging, mocking smile. "I really don't see how that is any of your business, councilman. As I made clear before, I will choose my husband – or wife, if I feel so inclined – myself. Whether that be Miss Oaken or Prince What-is-his-name from Wherever-it-is is none of your concern."

"Queen Elsa, the motion has not yet been signed."

"I know," Elsa spoke, her voice hard and her smile falling away. "But you know as well as I do that I can pass this motion without you. It's the beautiful thing about being the queen. This is the more polite, pleasant and friendlier way to do it, I admit. But if I have to, I will pass this council entirely and simply make it into an edict. So I suggest you voice any misgivings you have so I can swat them away, and then you can all sign."

"Your Majesty, really, we cannot have someone unqualified aiding you in the politics of the kingdom."

_Well, that's actually a fair concern,_ Elsa mused. "I agree. We will put in a clause that if I choose to marry someone who's unfit to aid me in my rule, regardless of social standing, they will be kept away from such work. It would increase my workload, but since I'm doing everything myself now as well, that should not be a problem."

Not everyone seemed equally satisfied, but Elsa felt quite gleeful when they all picked up their quills to sign for the final revision. "Good. Then this meeting is adjourned, and we will reconvene for specifics after Yule. Thank you, and enjoy the celebrations."

The men left as quickly as possible – most likely a mix of not wanting to be near the queen and wanting very much to get ready for tonight's banquet – and Elsa opened up the two letters Rapunzel had sent. The first one was a bill from a shopping spree earlier that day. The second letter only contained one sentence: 'I'm standing right behind you.'

Elsa peeked around the high back of her throne, indeed finding the Coronan princess standing there, in a spot from where she could oversee the meeting, but no one could actually have seen her. "Are you aware of the fact I could have you thrown in the dungeons for intruding on a council meeting like this?"

"Oh please. You love me too much to lift a finger against me!" Rapunzel looked at her as if she were challenging her, a little bunny made out of ice hopping around her feet. Elsa merely sighed and shook her head. "What are you doing here, Punz?"

"Oh, you know. International intelligence gathering. Spying. Breaking laws and stuff," she giggled.

"Really, Punzel, _what_ are you doing here?"

"Well, I might have gotten my hand on one of those nifty memos you sent around, and saw something about a marriage law being altered. I got curious... As it happens, I'm very glad that Arendelle is modernizing their same-sex marriage policies. Frankly, your parents should have done that years ago..."

"Yes, well... My parents weren't exactly modern. Or good at their jobs, I suppose."

"Your words, not mine. I'm even happier about your Anna-policy, though."

"My _Anna-policy?_"

"Yes. You can cover it up as much as you want, but you changed that last law for that very purpose. No need to admit it. I can see it in your eyes!"

Elsa looked around shiftily, making sure no one was around. "Fine, but if you tell _anyone_ I'll have you locked up in the dungeons for the remainder of Yule. I swear it, Rapunzel. Don't. You. Dare."

Rapunzel raised her hands in mock surrender. "I wouldn't dare. You need to talk to Anna, though. That is, unless she talks to you first."

"I doubt that," Elsa sighed.

"Eugene can be very convincing..."

"Eugene? What does he- Oh... Punzel, what did you do?"

"Nothing, nothing," the princess giggled, skipping away. "Nothing at all!"

* * *

He knelt down in front of her, one knee touching down on the black stones of the floor. That wasn't enough for her, though. And she'd make sure he knew it. The dark mist formed like a whip in her hand, and she felt content with the snapping sound it made when she slapped it across the floor, right in front of him. Immediately, he fell to both his knees, pressing his face to the floor as well.

Now he was practically splayed out on the floor, but frankly, she still wasn't happy. Using her magic, she enlarged her posture, turning into a large, feral form twice the size of her actual body. This form, she mused, had the added effect of distorting her voice, making it echo through her throne room.

"You failed me, Clint. What have you to say?"

Clint looked positively frightened, but still not enough. "I can explain, Milady. It was really not my fault-"

"Not your fault? How dare you! I ordered you to infiltrate Arendelle and OBSERVE. You should not have entered the tournament. You displayed your gift for the Ice Queen. Showed it off to all the kingdoms like a peacock would show his feathers! How exactly is that not your fault?"

"I can make it right! Just let me go back. I'll kill the Ice Witch!"

"No! The time is not right. Thanks to you, we need to take a... different approach. You cost us a lot of time!"

"I'm sorry, Milady. I do bring information..."

The mist around her dissipated to show her actual body again, though it still lingered at her feet, ready to do her bidding when necessary. "Talk, then, and make yourself useful."

"The Queen of Arendelle has a pet. A lowly farmer girl – entire city is talking about her. Anna Oaken's her name. She might be her weak spot. But, of course, that is entirely up to you."

_Might be useful. Might be useless._

"I also have an easier way in for us, when the time comes. A nobleman slighted by the queen. He's outside."

She beckoned for Gregor to fetch the man. When he walked in, hunched and shifty-looking, she smiled a crooked smile. "What's your name?"

"Lord Eberhard Orthal. Although I'm no lord anymore."

"And you can help us into Arendelle?"

"Yes."

_Such a lack of respect... But if he can make himself useful..._

"You would help us kill the queen? Kill the girl? Demolish the castle? Ransack the city?"

"I thought... I thought you just wanted to conquer Arendelle? Rule in Elsa's stead?"

"You thought wrong, then."

"I... see. Maybe coming here was a mistake... My argument with the queen does not warrant such excessive force. I'll be leaving now."

Her mist encircled him within seconds, before he could even turn to walk away. It swirled around his head for a full minute, before returning to her feet again.

"Tell me, Eberhard... Whose pet are you?"

"Yours, Milady."

"And you'll help us ruin Arendelle?"

"Anything for my Mistress."

"Good. Go lock yourself up in the dungeons now, and be a good boy until I ask for you."

"Anything to please," the old man muttered with a deep bow, before hobbling off.

She concentrated slightly, willing the mist to her right hand. It immediately formed a large claw, the talons scraping across the floor. "Now then, Clint. I believe it is time for your punishment..."

* * *

Anna was slowly starting to get used to all the luxurious circumstances of her stay and had no trouble getting into her gown for the banquet. She had to try very hard to hide her smile though, when she watched her father and brother in fine tailored suits, each of them a servant to accompany them all night, and a contingent of guards walking behind them as they made their way to the banquet hall. They really weren't expecting the royal treatment, apparently.

The banquet hall was basically the throne room, minus the throne. The entire interior had been changed, the place now filled with several long tables, each lined with comfortable chairs. Everyone seemed to be taking seats randomly, so Anna and her family just dropped down at one of the tables, their servants standing at attention behind them.

"Did you hear? The queen revised the marital laws!" one of the men on the other side of the table told his neighbour in an exaggerated whisper.

"Really? Which one?"

"One of the members of the Grand Council is a good friend of mine, you know. He told me that, soon, men will be allowed to marry men, and the same goes for women!"

"Well, good. We have been incredibly old fashioned in that regard, have we not?"

"Certainly. Certainly. But I can't help and think it has something to do with you-know..."

Both men nodded at that statement, as if they were wise sages who had just discussed some important philosophical dilemma. They seemed perfectly content not talking anymore, and Anna's attention shifted towards a group of noblewomen sitting at the table behind her.

"Well, I heard the guards muttering about it, you know! So it must be true!"

"Oh, Eva, what would the guards know about that?"

"I'm telling you, they'll make the announcement soon enough! Just mark my words."

Elsa came strolling in from the opposite end of the room, and somehow managed to capture the attention of everyone in the large hall immediately.

"Welcome to the Yule Banquet, everyone! As you can see, the tables have been arranged somewhat differently than earlier years. Unlike my parents, I believe Yule to be a time in which we are equals, and I would therefore ask you all to forget your stations for just one night – difficult as that may be for some of us – and just enjoy yourself. Everyone is free to sit where they wish, talk to whomever they desire, and indulge in fine foods and glorious drinks. For those to whom it may apply – please go easy on the wine."

The doors opened, and dozens of servants flocked in, carrying trays of food and flagons of drink. Within minutes, the tables were set, and everyone started digging in. After a mere few minutes, the men on the opposite side of the table left to mingle with acquaintances. Anna was thoroughly focused on her krumkake – deciding that eating dessert first was the best idea ever – and didn't notice Elsa's graceful form sitting down. Asger and Kristoff immediately fell still.

"Thank you for your note, Anna," Elsa smiled kindly.

Anna nearly dropped everything she had in her hands to the floor – which would be a waste of food – when she finally noticed Elsa. "Oh, uhm. Yeah. No problem. Your Majesty!"

"Just Elsa is fine, Anna. Really."

"There are people around..."

"I know," Elsa smiled, looking at her a little smugly.

"Okay..." _My voice keeps getting smaller and smaller_.

"About the talk I promised you... Tonight isn't really an option, and tomorrow is going to be a busy and hectic day... But after that, I think we should have a little sit-down in the library. We seem to have a lot to discuss."

Elsa's piercing gaze was almost too intense for Anna to handle. And despite the fact that she desperately wanted to look away, she also longed to just sit there and keep staring at Elsa all night. She probably would have, had Merida not suddenly plopped down next to her.

"If you two keep looking at each other like that, people will start to talk," she chuckled, taking a piece of meat from a nearby plate.

Elsa switched her attentions with a tiny frown. "People are already talking. I imagine I have your little pretty mouth to thank for that?"

"Rapunzel! It was all Rapunzel! Oh, and Eugene, a little. I think Belle might have mentioned it a few times as well. And Adam, of course. And let's not forget Hans – he's been telling _everyone_ who wanted to listen. Kai and Gerda weren't exactly subtle about it either. And then there's the _guards_, Elsa. Really, I've never seen such talkative guards as yours."

Elsa waved her hand a little, sending a tuft of cold air towards Merida's piece of meat. She took a bite, her face immediately scrunching up in disgust. "Blegh. Elsa! No fair. Worst. Host. Ever."

And with those parting words, Merida made room, which was immediately occupied by a man Anna had never seen before. "So, you must be the lovely Anna Oaken I've been hearing so much about?"

Anna just nodded. "I suppose. What did you hear about me?"

The old man chuckled into his hand slightly while Elsa excused herself again. "Oh, I've heard a lot, dear. But I won't give credence to rumours. Much as I'd like some of them to be based on truth..." It wasn't a question, but Anna couldn't help thinking he might have meant it as one. "And which rumours might those be?"

"Well, talk around town is you will be marrying the Queen within the next two months."

Anna's face must have expressed some form of confusion, but with the way her muscles felt, she wasn't exactly sure. "Married within two months? Do these people even realise who I am?"

"Why, of course. Only a few hours ago, Queen Elsa changed around a few laws regarding royal or noble marriages. Lawfully, she is now allowed to marry anyone she wishes. Well, not exactly sure about foreign commoners, actually. But certainly any commoner from Arendelle."

"I... see. I wasn't aware of that. Also, I can assure you, the queen and I are _not_ planning our wedding."

"Of course not, dear," the man said with a sly grin.

"We're not even involved. We're just friends, really."

"Of course. Of course. That, then, begs the question why the queen would find it necessary to ask your father for your hand, but who am I to comment on that, right?"

_She what now? Is that what they were talking about? Oh gods... No! Of course not! What am I thinking? It's all just rumours. Just rumours. Not even based on facts. How could this old cod even know what Elsa and Papa talked about?_

She smiled politely then. "I think you're quite mistaken, sir. My father did no such thing."

"Maybe. Maybe not... Now, dear, if you could excuse me. I see that my brother is consuming more ale than he can bear."

Anna, only now noticing her father and brother had both left this table in favour of another one, also got up. After a brief moment, she made her way to Rapunzel and Eugene, who were sitting together, slightly away from the rest.

"I did as you asked, but how should I know if- Oh, hello, Anna!" Eugene suddenly cut his sentence off.

Rapunzel waved and smiled. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Very much so, yes. If only everyone would stop asking me when I'm going to marry Queen Elsa..."

Both royals snickered a little. "You can't really blame them. You being here is proof enough for most people. And the two of you _have_ been spending a lot of time together – the guards can attest to that. And then the mystery meeting with your father..."

"Yeah, about that..."

Rapunzel stopped Anna before she could ask anything. "Sorry, but Elsa didn't even tell me and Merida what it was about. For all I know she wanted to know about your farm's harvest."

Eugene snorted a little. "Yeah, right. That totally makes no sense at all- ouch! Stop nudging me, dear! So, Anna... have you thought about what I said earlier?"

Anna nodded slowly, pensively. "Elsa and I have a talk planned for... the day after tomorrow. So, I guess we'll just get this entire misunderstanding out of the way then," she sighed eventually.

"From where I'm standing, there isn't much of an understanding to get out of the way," Rapunzel smiled, giving Anna a coy wink. Anna took a moment to let her ears wander, and surely enough she found that her _supposed_ marriage was indeed the talk of the town.

"... marrying an Arendelle farmer's daughter..."

"...wedding laws don't change for nothing, dear."

"...wonder who will be wearing the dress, maybe even both..."

"...quite unheard of indeed, but I see no objections..."

"...Coronan Princess can do it, why wouldn't our queen..."

"...really a lovely girl. Talked to her just a few days ago. So polite..."

Anna groaned loudly, dropping her head in her hands. _Tonight is going to be a long night. And tomorrow is going to be a long, long day. I hope the surprise event is something good, because I could really use the distraction_.

* * *

Most of the food was gone now. People had... indulged themselves in it, and Elsa had given the servants the order to deliver the left-over food to the city orphanage and hospital. To the people who needed it most. Now people were just standing around, indulging in too much wine and too loud conversations. Regrettably, being the host meant she couldn't just _leave_.

"Really, Elsa, it's not fair," Belle chimed from behind her.

"What isn't fair, Cherie?"

"I'm used to being the _Belle_ of the ball, but today, the only thing everyone's been talking about is you and your beloved..." Belle smiled.

The not-so-subtle wordplay wasn't lost on Elsa, and she tried to suppress a soft giggle. "I'm terribly sorry, Belle. Won't happen again. I don't even know where all these rumours keep coming from."

"Well, there not rumours if they're true, are they?"

Elsa blushed a shade of red her face wasn't quite used to. "Trust me, I would know if I were engaged to someone..."

"True. Very true. So you are not engaged. _Yet_."

Elsa rolled her eyes. In that motion, she noticed Rapunzel and Eugene, Merida and Hans all looking at her with expressions that promised little good. "Never mind, Belle. I think I know _exactly_ where all these rumours come from..." she muttered, trying to sound exasperated. She knew very well, though, that she probably sounded like a love-struck teenager.

_And it's not even far from the truth..._


	11. Chapter 11

**Fair warning in advance: This isn't one of my best chapters. Especially the first part isn't really to my liking, but I've written and re-written is six times, and I can't get it to become any better than it is now, so I decided to just publish it already and move on. **

**As always, I'd like to thank everyone for following/favoriting and reviewing! You have all made me a happy lass.**

* * *

"We will see you again soon, ya?" her father asked, a remarkably soft expression plastered onto his face.

"Sure, Papa," Anna smiled. She was sad to see them go, but also feeling giddy for today's mystery event, and the rest of Yule in the big city. Kristoff and Asger had only been invited for the banquet, and had decided to leave early today. All in all, Anna had mixed feelings about their departure.

Kristoff smiled broadly. "Now, now, princess, don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Anna smiled. "I won't. I think."

Sven bobbed his head up and down before he started pulling the sleigh away from Anna. She stared at their retreating form for a while before making her way to the throne room again – knowing that Elsa would be announcing today's festivities soon. When she arrived, she found a large crowd already gathered. She didn't manage to make out anyone she knew, though.

After nearly fifteen minutes, Elsa and the entire delegation of royals walked onto the dais, standing above the crowd. Anna immediately noticed the glint in their eyes, as if they were looking forward to something. Elsa spread her arms out wide in a welcoming gesture, and every nobleman in the room silenced.

"Welcome again, everyone. Today is going to be a day of _fun_ and _entertainment_. But also a day of _sportsmanship _and _competition_. The entire day will be filled with festivities throughout the city – artists and entertainers from many kingdoms have travelled to Arendelle for this very occasion, so there will be plenty to take in. The grand highlight of the day, however, is a treasure hunt of sorts."

At the mention of the treasure hunt, everyone started whispering with their neighbours. Even the stuffy old noblemen seemed to have an interest. Soon enough, Anna understood why.

"Naturally, as with all competitions, there needs to be a prize. Or rather, a series of prizes. The second runner-up will have everything supplied to him for three months. Food, drinks, coal, firewood – they will want for nothing!"

There was polite applause. Anna was already mesmerised. With such a price, Oaken Farm could suddenly make a much larger profit over a season. _Maybe I should partake in this treasure hunt..._

"The first runner-up will earn a price in the form of gold. Five-hundred gold pieces, free of charge or burden, will be awarded to the second place in this competition."

More enthusiastic applause followed that. _Five hundred gold pieces?! By Asgard that's a lot of money... I should really enter this competition_...

"The winner of the treasure hunt," Elsa continued, smiling enthusiastically. "Will earn a one-of-a-kind price. Something we've never handed out before, and might never hand out again. The winner will get a single wish. If it is within reason, the Crown will fulfill it. You can use this wish for gold. You can use this wish to raise your social standing. You can use this wish in any reasonable way. Naturally, the crown retains the right to decline a wish, in which case a new wish can be made. The wish can be stored, as it were. You need not make the wish today, or even tomorrow. The right to make a wish remains for as long as I'm the Queen of Arendelle."

The entire room erupted in applause and muttering. Anna understood completely. With the right to make a wish, you could do_ so much_. It was pretty much a one-way ticket to fulfilling one's life's desires. _I'm definitely going to do this treasure hunt._

"Anyone wishing to enter the treasure hunt sign up on the lists on the boards. The restrictions on the wish-process can also be found there. The competition will start one hour from now, so if you wish to partake, ensure that you are here."

For some time, the throne room was home to complete and utter chaos. People signing in, people leaving the throne room, people who wanted to read the rules. After an hour of said chaos, the contestants were ushered to the front, immediately in front of the dais.

"Contestants, listen up! Each royal has hidden a golden band somewhere in this city." Elsa held up a small golden band, the size of a bracelet. "A golden band _exactly_ like this one. The one who has most of them by the end of the day will win. For the contestants that end up with equal amounts of bands, there will be competitions at the end of the day. You have all been handed a pamphlet with the rules and regulations for the contest. I wish you all the best of luck. The contest ends at four in the afternoon, and we expect you all to be at the stage on the main square. Now, let the game begin!"

Anna, like the other contestants, immediately made her way to the castle's exit, but halfway down the final corridor, an arm grabbed her elbow. She was already at the end of the procession of competitors, and she really couldn't use this hassle right now. Annoyed, she turned towards the offender, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

"Princess Rapunzel?"

"It's cold outside, Anna," the young woman smiled.

"Yes, I know. There's snow."

"Exactly."

"Now that we've established that it's cold, can I go?"

"You should dress against the cold, Anna."

"No time, Your Highness."

"Trust me, Anna," Rapunzel muttered. "I'm certain Elsa provided a mantle for you, _right_?"

Anna and Rapunzel stared each other down for a moment, the princess giving her an almost imperceptible nod. Anna didn't know why Rapunzel would want her to start the competition with a handicap, but, remembering her station, nodded nonetheless.

She huffed and bristled to herself while making her way to her room, slamming the door open forcefully when she arrived. She was surprised that none of her servants were in her chambers, but she figured they were attending to duties elsewhere. She grabbed a heavy cloak from her wardrobe and tied it around her neck. And then, just as she was about to leave, she saw it.

Right there, on her vanity, was a golden bracelet. Anna just stood there for a moment, staring at the foreign object in her room. _I'm pretty sure that is cheating_, she thought to herself as she picked it up, looking the delicate object over. Examining the trinket, she noticed the engraving on the inside of the band – _Princess Rapunzel of Corona . _

_Well, that explains a lot_, Anna thought to herself with a grin. It was probably not fair to the others participating in the treasure hunt, but she wasn't going to decline a gift like this. Sliding the jewel in the pocket of her mantle, she bustled out of her room.

In the courtyard, Anna found ten men turning over bays of hay, rummaging through the stables and scurrying through the training yard. _Not going to find anything there, even if someone did hide something there_.

"The church!" someone yelled. "Surely there's something hidden there?"

Anna, not being able to think of any better place off the cuff, ran after the group of men and women on their way to the church. Passing by the main square, she immediately stopped dead in her tracks, her attention fully occupied by acrobats, magicians, musicians, dancing and other frivolities. And there, on a scaffold that hadn't been there the day before, stood Elsa, looking out over the square.

It took a rotund nobleman bowling into her to rip her attention away from all the bustle around her. Quickly scrambling back to her feet, she hurried after the group of eager hunters. As soon as she laid eyes on the church, she realised that, with so many people looking around there, she wouldn't be able to find anything unless she got extremely lucky.

_Okay, Anna. Think. Think. Where would they hide their loot... Think... Town Hall! _

Anna swiveled around and hurried down the road towards Town Hall. Surely, _someone_ had chosen to hide their golden band there, right? They had to have. Anna didn't know if she was as certain as she sounded, or rather trying to convince herself. Nevertheless, it was worth a shot. Especially since no one else seemed to have headed there yet, and running after the masses simply wasn't the way.

The door to the building was unlocked, but none of the desks were occupied by the nobles that usually worked there. _Probably all out getting drunk or chasing royal jewellery, _Anna thought wryly. One of the servants walked up to her. "Something I can help you with?"

"Is there... by any chance a golden bracelet somewhere in here?"

The woman shrugged, indicating she didn't know. Her posture, however, was tense, and Anna noticed her eyes shooting towards the _Public Services_ desk. Anna pattered over to the large marble desk, unoccupied, and _Yes, yes, yes!_

It was just laying there, on the white marble, glittering in all of its golden splendour. Anna swiped it, the people in the large space smiling at her encouragingly. Before pocketing her second band, hardly being able to believe how easy it had been so far, she examined it a little more closely. _Princess Catherine II of Foxcliff_. _Nice!_

Anna noticed a mob of noblewomen flocking outside, hurrying towards their next destination. Anna figured that, having no idea where to look now, she might as well follow them for the time being. Anna wondered about the vigour of some of the contestants. Her wonder turned into concern – and dare she say even disgust – as the women ran into a girl, around fifteen years old, carrying a large bag filled with toys.

The girl tumbled to the ground, scattering the toys through the main street. The girl looked at the group of women, none of whom slowed down or even spared a glance at her or her scattered belongings, with a forlorn expression. Anna, instantly deciding that she didn't want to be like those cold-hearted vultures, stopped and crouched down to help her. Gathering the wooden toys from the cobblestones and returning them to the girl with a kind smile, Anna apologised in name of the nobles. The girl gave her a lopsided grin. "Thanks. I've had to gather everything on my own four times already."

"Four times? You mean people keep bowling you over and no one stopped to help?"

"Exactly. That was more or less the idea, though..." she smiled hesitantly.

"Uhm... what?"

"I was paid to stand here and be a bother to treasure hunters..." she explained slowly. "And I was told to give this to the first person who stopped their hunt to help me out. Something about purity of heart and concern for the people." The girl's smile brightened as she took velvet pouch from one of her pockets and handed it to Anna.

Loosening the ribbon just enough to peek into the pouch, Anna took in a sharp breath, suddenly finding herself with another band. _Prince-Consort Eugene of Corona_. Anna smiled to herself, thanking the girl and slowly making her way to the centre square again.

_It was a test. Typical of Eugene to devise something like that... That's it! I've been going at this the wrong way entirely. Instead of running between landmarks, I should choose one of the royals, consider their personality, and take it from there... It's riskier, though... What if I end up looking for something someone already found...? Well, that's a risk even if I just check out landmarks... Let me see... Merida... Merida of DunBroch... tomboy princess... archery... fighting... archery and fighting... horse riding at break-neck speeds... _

_But those men already rummaged through the stables... But not the royal stables, just the guard horses... Merida talked about her horse... How she brought her own horse with her from DunBroch for forest rides...Angie? No, no! Angus! Yes, that was it!_

Anna hurried back towards the castle, noticing how no one lingered around there anymore. She felt her heart sink, figuring that someone probably already checked the royal stables thoroughly. Every nobleman, after all, was allowed in there. Approaching the large building of red brick and wood, she smiled kindly at the two guards in front of the door.

"Yes?"

"Uhm... Can I go in?"

"Why?"

_Geez, these guards are monosyllabic, aren't they? _"I think one of the treasures for the treasure hunt is in there..."

The guards displayed a small smile as they stepped aside and opened the door for her with a bow. Anna walked through the centre aisle, looking at the names written on the separate stables. She sauntered past Thor, Elsa's personal horse, and found a stable reading _Angus_ at the far end. The door consisted out of two parts, and the upper part was left open, allowing the horse to stick his head out. Anna recognized the gleam of gold even in these dark surroundings, and it was definitely gold that was gleaming on Angus' holster. She dislodged the little band. _Princess Merida of DunBroch_, exactly what she needed.

With four bands secured already, Anna found herself strolling around the main square again, taking a little time off to look at the performers, taking in all the exotic – everything was exotic to Anna, but still – forms of entertainment. She realised she had to hurry, the contest would end in two hours, but she was simply mesmerised.

While looking at a man blowing fire from his mouth, Anna pondered on the remaining bracelets. _King and Queen of Corona, King and Queen of DunBroch. Who else was at that meeting? Gah, there were so many... Belle and her husband, of course... _

Fergus, the loud and outgoing king... Elinor, his strict and restrained wife... Anna had no idea where those two would hide their treasure... Maybe she could figure Belle out? She let her mind wander back to all the conversations she had shared with the Queen of France... She recalled there had been an odd remark when she talked with her in the corridor, when she had been giving her family a tour...

_What had it been? Reading, right, they had been talking about reading... And Belle had said... Come on, Anna. Remember! 'If you find yourself with some time on your hands in the next few days, you should really check out Arendelle's public library. Elsa's libraries are lovely, but the atmosphere in a public library is just tres grande.' Yes, that had been it..._

Arendelle's public library was a large, old-fashioned building that looked like it had been one of the first buildings to have been constructed. The rooms, or maybe they should be called halls, were large, with light filtering through the dust-riddled sky through high and narrow windows. It wasn't a _huge_ building necessarily, but still too large to look through the entire collection within an hour and a half.

_I have to be smart about this... Where would Queen Belle hide this thing? What kind of books would she like? Not the dictionaries or encyclopaedia sections, surely. Fairy tales? Probably not... Romantic literature, perhaps?_

Anna found her target area soon enough – thank goodness there were signs – and looked along the backs of the shelves. She had expected this to be difficult, but most of the books were greyed with dust, leaving only a few options she had to check. Soon enough, she found a blue tome which had, quite clearly, recently been removed from its shelve.

"Beauty and the Beast, huh?" Anna muttered to herself, thumbing through the book.

_Drat, nothing in here... And I was so certain!_

She moved to place the book back on the shelve, and only noticed the object at the back at the shelve in the nick of time. "Gotcha," she laughed out loud, putting Belle's band with the others. _That makes five..._

With little over an hour left, Anna resorted to aimlessly wandering around the city again. She was certain she wouldn't be able to find any of the bands of the kings and queens. After all, she didn't know any of them very well. _Except for Elsa..._

The thought came on so suddenly she almost stumbled over her own feet. Why hadn't she tried to find Elsa's treasure first? That would have been so much more logical! _But... where would she have to look for Elsa's band? Someplace cold? Inside the castle? Honestly... I have no idea... _

Anna wandered the city, and half an hour before the end of the competition, she started making her way to the main square. She let her mind go over everything Elsa had said, but that just distracted her – the entire marriage-conversation far from forgotten. And then the idea hit her. It was so simple that it was brilliant, really.

Anna reached the square, where everyone was still enjoying the performances. Anna casually walked up to the heavily guarded main scaffold, where most of the royalty were sitting or standing. She was hardly surprised when the guards let her pass through without even asking anything. In a bout of confidence, she walked up to Elsa, who was chatting amiably with Rapunzel and her parents.

"Um, sorry to interrupt?"

All four heads turned in her direction. Elsa and Rapunzel both had kind expressions on their face, whereas the king and queen looked... confused and interested, Anna would call it.

"Hello Anna. Anything I can do for you?"

"Well, yes. Actually. I'd like your golden band."

"Well, the idea is that you _look_ for them. I can't just tell you where it is, Anna. You know that."

Anna smiled a little. "But I _know_ where it is. It's around your wrist. And I'd like to add it to my... collection."

For a moment everyone stared at each other stone-faced. Then Elsa's lips spread in a broad grin. She raised her arms, letting the sleeve of her dress fall back, revealing the golden band. She shook it off her wrist and handed it to Anna. _Queen Elsa of Arendelle_. "How did you know?"

Anna smiled even broader. "Well, it was simple really... It was all in the way you talked at the dais, 'bands _exactly_ like this one.' And... you couldn't really have hidden the one you showed us, so I figured you'd have it on your person..."

"Well deduced, Ms. Oaken," the king of Corona chimed in.

"Oh, uh, thank you, Your Majesty."

Rapunzel wiggled her eyebrows. "So, how many did you find?"

Anna's grin faltered. "You'll see in a few minutes, right? Don't want to spoil the surprise..."

* * *

Elsa smiled her regular distant smile as she noticed all the faces looking up at her. The performers had stopped performing. Everyone's attention was on her now, the clock tower just having marked the time as four in the afternoon. Time to reveal the winner of the contest. She looked at the many grinning faces below her.

"Everyone who did _not_ find any of the golden bands... I am sorry, but you can leave the contestant area. Unfortunately there will be no prizes for you!"

Many of the nobles milled around for a while, joining the crowd behind them with disappointed faces. Most of them looked like they had had a fun day nonetheless, though. "Those of you who have managed to find one band, please step forward!"

Two men stepped forward. Elsa nodded to the first, who procured the band from a pocket and raised it high. "King Corin of Corona!" he almost shouted. The king stepped forward and took the band from him, looking it over for a moment and nodding to Elsa. The other man showed the band of Queen Ariel of Denmark, which explained his wet clothing, and this one was also confirmed as authentic.

Elsa continued in the same manner, until only four contestants were still standing. By then, the sun was slowly dipping behind the mountains, making it harder to see what was happening on the large square.

"Very well, gentlemen," Elsa shot a quick glance to a grinning Anna, "and lady... From left to right, step forward and tell us how many bands you've found."

The first man stepped forward, raising three bands into the air, and revealing their owners to be the Queen of Corona, King of Denmark, and the Queen of Gallinon. The next man also had three bands to present, two from DunBroch and one from France.

The fourth man puffed out his chest, noticing how Anna's shoulders fell slightly. "It appears I am the winner, then, Your Majesty, for I have _five_ bands." Elsa resisted the urge to roll her eyes, turning her attention to Anna. Just then something peculiar happened, as a face-splitting grin suddenly appeared on her face, a bright light shone in her eyes, and she pulled her shoulders back.

Anna put her hand in the pocket of her cape, pulling out one band, "Princess Rapunzel of Corona!" and another, "Princess Merida of DunBroch!" and then another, "Queen Belle of France!, and one more, "Princess Catherine II of Foxcliff!" She paused for a while, rummaging around in another pocket. "Prince-Consort Eugene of Corona!"

Elsa smiled as everyone on the square held their breath. Right now, Anna and the insufferable nobleman next to her were sharing their spot. But Elsa knew better.

"And finally, Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" Anna shouted to the cheering crowd behind her, raising the band up high. They went through the process of making sure the bands were authentic, which they were, of course. Anna moved to walk down the stage again, but Elsa grabbed her arm.

"Good people of Arendelle! The winners have been presented! Now, the festivities will resume for all of you to enjoy!" Elsa considered continuing her speech, but since everyone was either already turning their attention somewhere else, or looking anxious to do so, she decided to keep it short. "Do not let me keep you any longer. Enjoy the night!"

The attention of the crowd turned away from them, and Elsa shifted towards Kai. "Kai, you will see to the distribution of the runner-ups, right?"

"Yes, my Queen."

"Thank you."

She looped her arm through Anna's, starting to stroll towards the castle. "Don't worry, Anna. You'll be free to return to the festivities after we've discussed your prize."

Anna drew Elsa's arm a little closer to herself, seeming perfectly content on missing out on the festivities if it meant hanging off Elsa's arm. _But I'm probably imagining that. Aren't I? She did ask me to kiss her... but only because of the mistletoe! Then again, Punz and Mer said that there is no such thing as 'just a mistletoe kiss.' So does she feel this too? This light, jittery, floating feeling? _

"Hmm, it's okay, Elsa... I'm perfectly... Wait, you _did_ want me to call you Elsa, right? But that's odd, because you said I could only call you Elsa if we were alone, and we definitely are not alone now, so why..."

Elsa smiled a little. "I think we're past formalities now, Anna. Unless you disagree, of course?"

Anna looked at her peculiarly, narrowing her eyes a little. For a moment she looked like Elsa had asked her something completely different. Then, with another wide smile. "No, it's good. I like calling you Elsa."

"Good," Elsa muttered without thinking. She pointedly ignored Rapunzel cooing about their cuteness behind her, hoping Anna didn't hear it. _Tomorrow's talk is going to be so awkward..._ "Well, Anna, any ideas for your wish?"

"No... But I don't have to make it right now, do I?"

Elsa shot her a reassuring smile. "No, Anna. You can save it for the next I-don't-know-how-many years. Until my future heir takes the throne..."

They were walking down the castle corridors now, parts of their trail splitting off to their own rooms, dining halls or anywhere else. "So, set your sights on your future partner yet?" Anna asked casually, as if she didn't care in the slightest. "That's what Yule is traditionally for, right? Finding a suitor for the monarch?"

"Hmmhmm," Elsa murmured. "I don't know. I... have someone in mind. Not sure if there is any process in that department, though..."

Anna raised her eyebrows at her. _Please stop looking all adorable-like while holding my arm. I can't take this. Stop looking at me like that. Please, someone, do something before I kiss her. Oh god, I'm the Queen-Regnant of a kingdom and here I'm panicking just because of a stare. Her stare._

"Oi, lasses! Punzie and I are gonna grab a bite, you two comin' along?"

Anna nodded against Elsa's arm, rubbing her cheek over the soft fabric of Elsa's sleeve. It sent goose bumps up her arm and down her back, which she tried to ignore. "Sure. Gerda, could you bring us something in my study?"

"Right away, Your Majesty."

* * *

Mere minutes later, the four young women found themselves seated around Elsa's desk, the paperwork casually pushed aside to make room for platters with food, watching Rapunzel's bunny hop around their feet.

"It's a bit of a shame I can't actually touch her," Rapunzel lamented. "She's way too cold."

Anna reached out her hand, fingers brushing against the floor softly. The little creature immediately stopped assaulting Merida's feet, instead opting to leap at Anna's hand. Elsa watched with soft eyes as Anna lifted her into her lap, gently playing with her icy ears. The usual warm feeling immediately returned thrumming through her being like a drum of a marching army.

A knock on the door caused them all to turn, watching as Hans poked his head inside. "Elsa, sis! I have a whole bunch of people who claim to know _everything_ about your magic. Want to meet them tomorrow?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes, there'll be plenty of time tomorrow."

Hans cocked an eyebrow. "There are no festivities tomorrow, right? Or did I miss a memo? Should I get my suit ready?"

Elsa snickered a little. "As if you don't _always _have two suits ready, just in case... But no, there are no plans for tomorrow. It's just that... I promised Anna a talk about that little quip of yours..."

"Ah, I see. Glad I could be of service!"

"Hans, I swear I'll-"

"I'll arrange the meeting with the experts for eight in the morning, in the throne room."

"Actually, could you make it ten? I'm certain Anna would enjoy sleeping in after a day of... hard work."

Hans nodded with a tiny wave before retreating and closing the door. "I hope you don't mind joining me for the meeting, Anna? I promise we can talk afterwards..."

"Grmpf! Nuh pruhblm!" Anna forced out, her mouth filled with a hefty chunk of cake.

"Good," Elsa smiled. To her surprise, she found Anna's manners – or the lack thereof – rather endearing.

"Wait, lass? You understood that jumble?"

Rapunzel nudged her sharply, silencing the loud-mouthed princess. "So, Anna. Did anyone tell you about Elsa's first crush yet?"

Anna's eyes immediately started sparkling with interest. Elsa, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stop what was about to happen even with her powers, groaned and rested her head in her hands. "There we go again..."

"It was a long time ago, ten years or more, I'd say... We were celebrating Elsa's birthday party, royals from all over the place had flocked to Arendelle for that very occasion. I'm not sure who were there, but Merida and I were, and I believe Belle as well. Back then she was just a princess, of course. Oh, and Cathy, of course."

"Princess Catherine of Foxcliff," Merida filled in. "You know, the one that looks a bit like a... well, a fox. Reddish hair in a ponytail? Long, pointy face? Bright piercing eyes?"

Anna nodded, eager for the rest of the story, and for a moment Elsa considered freezing Rapunzel and Merida on the spot, not thawing them before Yule ended. Or maybe she could just add them to her collection of ice sculptures and tell their parents that they'd run off into the woods again...

"Well, Elsa came to us telling us she had a crush on Cathy, and she needed our help to let her know. Merida was immediately aboard, of course. I figured it might be best to tell her parents first, before acting. Back then, a princess pursuing another princess was rather... controversial... Then again I suppose it still is... ah well, not relevant for the story. Anyway, Elsa had kept her powers a secret until then, on the insistence of her parents, but wanted to use them to... how did she put it?"

"Freeze their hearts together," Merida supplied helpfully, snickering as Elsa dropped her head onto the desk with a loud thump.

"Right! So, everyone was gathered in the gardens, king and queen even had all the snow removed so Merida wouldn't start assaulting us with it, and we were just about to start the cake when Elsa jumped onto a table. I had refused to help her, and Queen Elinor kept Merida under strict watch-"

"Rightly so, she toppled the cake," Elsa contributed with an exasperated look at her friends.

"Right, but that's another story entirely. Anyway, Elsa stood all alone, on the table, with everyone's eyes on her. And then, to everyone's surprise, she actually started singing! On one knee, still on the table..."

Merida and Rapuzel both snickered a little as they began reciting the text.

_About Yule, when the wind blew cool;_

_And the round tables began,_

_A' there is come to our Queen's court_

_Many a well-favoured man._

_The Queen looked o'er the castle wa',_

_Beheld baith dale and down,_

_And then she saw young Waters_

_Come riding to the town._

_Her footmen they did rin before,_

_Her horsemen rade behind;_

_Ane mantle of the burning gold_

_Did keep her frae the wind._

"That's about as far as she got, and she created a single rose out of ice, jumped off the table and placed it at Cathy's feet. Naturally, total chaos followed after that. Most people were either outraged that Elsa, only a kid, had made advances to another princess, while others were... concerned about the sudden revelation of her magic."

Elsa sighed and leant back in her chair. "Why do you two always remember the most embarrassing things? Really, why? Oh, and my parents... They were so angry!"

Merida chuckled. "Yeah, they totally ruined the bloody party. Sent everyone home that very day!"

"I never heard the end of it," Elsa lamented. "Both the revealing of my magic and my... preference for women. I think they might even have thought the latter worse than the former."

Rapunzel's face turned serious again instantly. "Yes, your parents were rather... conservative. Especially in that aspect."

"They had bloody sticks up their arses, they had," Merida belted out, quickly covering her mouth. "Don't throw me in the dungeons!"

Elsa shook her head with another chuckle. "No, no. You're completely right. My parents were not very understanding..."

Merida, apparently relieved she would not become a prisoner of the Crown, removed her hands. "Good thing you've altered marital laws, then, right?"

"Yes. It should have been one of the first things I did, but I never got round to it..."

"So, what the old pudgy man said was true then?" Anna interrupted.

"What did the old pudgy man say?"

"He talked about how you changed marital laws for same-sex couples, and something about royal and noble marriages. And then he went off the deep end and started rambling about our engagement."

"Oh... I see. Well, yes, then. It's true," Elsa answered slowly. "Not the engagement part, of course!" she followed up hastily. "We're definitely not engaged."

Rapunzel attempted very hard to stifle her giggling behind her hand – an effort Merida didn't make as she laughed loudly, clutching at her sides. "You two must be the most awkward human beings in this kingdom, and beyond!"

Elsa felt her face heating up, and couldn't help but notice the blush spreading on Anna's face. Tomorrow they would sort this entire business out, and then there'd be no more need for awkwardness. Or at least, that's what she was hoping for. Frankly, their conversation tomorrow could end in so many different ways, it was staggering to even consider its implications. Right now, however, her focus was on shutting the two princesses up.

"I'm going to retire now," Elsa muttered. "Feel free to keep occupying my study, as long as you keep those noses out of my royal papers. Fair warning – I'm always looking for new ice sculptures to add to my collection, and I think your parents would believe me if I told them you ran off into the woods again."

Anna stretched and yawned. "I think I should go to bed too. Otherwise I won't make it to the meeting tomorrow morning."

"I'll walk you to your chambers, then," Elsa said, a smile forming on her lips without her even noticing.

The walk to Anna's chambers, still adorned with the image of a red griffin on its door, was spent in silent comfort. Anna threw the door of her chambers open with a flourish, startling the only servant inside. "Ms. Oaken! I – I mean, Anna. I'm so sorry, but the bed has not yet been made. The other servants are tending to your wardrobe and accessories. I haven't had time to draw a bath yet, either."

Anna just smiled. "That's alright, Ingrid. I'll help you with the bed, and there's no hurry in the bath either. I'm not above doing some work myself!" Elsa watched for a few fleeting moments as Anna started helping her servant in making the bed, awed by the kindness and humility in the girl. Without either of them noticing, she slipped into the bathroom.

She closed the door behind her, shutting out the amiable conversation between Anna and her servant. _Ingrid_. Anna even knew the names of her servants, Elsa wondered as she turned one of the faucets. It had been years since she had last drawn a bath herself, but like so many things, it was not something she _couldn't_ do. Just something she didn't _have_ to do.

Once the hot, foaming water was tuned to perfection, she entered the bedchamber again, watching as Anna and Ingrid placed the pillows in the right spots. Ingrid turned towards the bathroom door, before freezing and seeing the queen with a small smile.

"Anna, your bath is ready when you are," Elsa smiled, feeling a warmth inside her she hadn't felt in a long time. "I'll send Kai by to fetch you for tomorrow's meeting. Have a good night."

Elsa left the room, but contrary to her earlier plans, she didn't go to her own chambers. She found herself strolling towards her library, sending one of the servants to find Kai. Her steward met her a few corridors before the library.

"Kai, could you bring the personnel files to my library, please?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. Do you intend to fire anyone? If you do, I feel inclined to tell you that Gerda and I have everything under control."

"No, nothing of the kind. I just feel I should be... more aware of those who work for me. I only know you and Gerda by name..."

Kai nodded and walked off, making sure the queen would not be able to make out his face-splitting grin. Miss Oaken certainly seemed to be a good influence on the young monarch.


	12. Chapter 12

**Before we get this chapter started, I feel I should address a few issues that have been raised by all you lovely people. And since I'm known for being (a little too) frank and blunt from time to time, I'm going to start with telling all of you how much I love you. Your support and reviews really _do_ mean the world to me. And then I don't just mean the positive ones – I respect that not everyone is of the same opinion, and negative remarks can (usually) be used to improve myself, so I'm grateful for those as well. Please keep this in mind while reading the next two points – I really don't want any of you to think I'm being mean here, because that's not at all my intention.**

**Anyhow: Firstly, I've been getting A LOT of remarks about certain typos that could be found in previous chapters. Yes. I am aware of most of them. However, I only noticed them after re-reading the chapter when it had already been posted. I proofread everything myself, but do not have a second set of eyes to check my chapters (most of the time), so yes, every now and then a typo slips by me. Much as I hate to say it, it will probably stay that way – if you can't look past a few typos, this is probably not the best story for you to be reading. I'm doing my best and that's all I can do.**

**Secondly, I'm getting a bunch of complaints about the story moving too fast, and Elsa and Anna suddenly getting married is (quoting: ) _poor writing, lazy and incompetence incarnate_. Well, sorry, but that's just being rude. First of all, they're not even married yet, so you don't really have a reason to complain about that. Secondly, this story is set in a time where arranged marriages were the norm, so I guess it's not all that strange for a sudden marriage to be scheduled. Thirdly, I'm addressing _this very issue_ in the next few chapters – give me a little credit as a writer. Now, I've had a dozen PMs saying people stopped reading the story because of that. While this saddens me greatly, I can't really say I'll miss those few readers. This story is way more successful than I anticipated when I started writing, so quite honestly, I'm perfectly content. If you can't overlook something like this – or wait for me to address it, then, again, this is probably not a good story for you. Your loss, not mine…**

**Now that we've got that out of the way, I'd like to address a reviewer (Jaely) who pointed out some inconsistencies regarding Rapunzel and her background: THANK YOU. Thank you for pointing this out to me. I completely overlooked this, to be honest, but I will make sure to address it in one of the following chapters and to smooth everything out so as to have it make sense again.**

**Little warning in advance: this chapter, as well as the next, is going to consist of people talking. A whole lot of talking. If you are more the action-oriented reader, that's a little unfortunate right now. The talking is pretty vital to understanding the story, so I wouldn't advise skipping these chapters. Well… I'd never advise skipping chapters, because that would just be weird…**

**And that marks the end of this excessively large Author's Note. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. Enjoy the new chapter, everyone!**

* * *

It was exactly half past eight when an insistent knocking on the door woke Anna from her deep slumber. Her brain was slow to fill her in on the day, or the planned activities and appointments. She just wanted to lay her head down again. Surely whatever whoever had planned could wait just a few more minutes? But no, the knocking had to continue.

"Whozit? Whaddayewan?"

"Miss Oaken? It's Kai. Queen Elsa asked me to remind you to meet her in the throne room at ten o'clock. She was very adamant about me informing you of this at least an hour in advance."

"She knows me too well…"

"What was that, Miss?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all. Could you send my servants in, please?"

"Of course."

As her servants filed into the room and started their chores – opening up the curtains, preparing her dress for the day, drawing her bath – Anna was actually grateful that Elsa had sent the Head Steward to wake her up way before she actually had to be anywhere.

She felt sluggish as she lowered herself in the bathtub. They would be meeting with experts on magic to figure out the relation between her and Elsa's ice. That ought to be interesting… Anna had been soaking in the scalding water for over fifteen minutes when she finally remembered the _other meeting_ they had planned for today.

As the memories about her and Elsa came flooding back, she jumped out of the bathtub and rapidly started towelling herself down. Today was the day! Today she and Elsa were going to talk! Today she could finally ask all her questions! Of course, there was no guarantee that Elsa would _answer_ all of her questions, but at least she'd get a chance to ask them. At least… she _would_ get to ask her questions, wouldn't she? What if Elsa just wanted to tell her a few things, and wouldn't accept any inquiries?

As she started mulling over that possibility, her actions slowed down again. She was vaguely aware of her servants, and the odd glances they sent at her. Most of them didn't feel comfortable enough around her to ask anything, though. Frida, the lead servant, was the exception.

"Anna, are you good? You look a little off today."

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just… have a lot on my mind. That's all, really. I'll be fine."

Frida nodded. If Anna told her she was fine, then it wasn't her place to question any further. "Any preferences for your dress today?"

"The prettiest one we have," Anna muttered as she looked at the snow falling outside.

"Any special occasion?" Frida smiled.

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet."

"Well, Queen Elsa had a green dress made for you, reminiscent of the green summer dress… which she also had made for you," Frida wriggled her eyebrows at Anna suggestively. "Want to try it on?"

"That sounds… perfect," Anna said, a smile growing on her face halfway through.

And the dress turned out to be perfect indeed. Anna admired Elsa's immaculate taste – ranging from dresses to jewellery, if Elsa picked it, she was certain she'd wear it in a heartbeat. She made sure her servants fussed over her hair and make-up for a while, ensuring that everything would be perfect. When, in the end, she looked in the mirror, she appeared to be fit for a ball.

_Okay, so maybe we overdid it a little. A lot, even. But hey! It's not a crime to look good. Unless Elsa makes it a crime… That'd be awkward. I'd be thrown in the dungeon straight away if she did. Not that I'm saying I'm looking good – even though I am – actually, I'm not saying anything. I'm just thinking. And rambling. In my head. Which is not nearly as bad as doing it out loud, but it's still pretty bad and I should really stop now._

Anna thanked her servants and dismissed them, with the exception of Frida, who would be accompanying her today. Ten minutes before the clock struck ten, Kai knocked on the door again. "Miss Oaken, Queen Elsa has asked me to escort you to the throne room."

Anna followed Kai, and the seven guards, to the throne room, musing about the excessive amount of security Elsa had bestowed upon her. Kai led them past the corridor where the main entrance to the throne room was, and Anna was glad they would be making use of the off-limits back entrance. The corridor they had just passed was full with people – not all of whom looked savoury.

_Guess that explains the security detail…_

The throne room was empty when they walked in, but Kai assured her the queen would arrive any moment now. So they just stood, waiting in silence. Indeed, only a few minutes later, Elsa burst into the throne room.

"I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting, Anna. The merchant's council was determined to thwart me at every corner. Please, take a seat." To Anna's amazement, Elsa motioned towards the throne.

"Umm, Elsa?"

"Yes?"

"That's your throne."

"Yes."

Elsa waved her hands in a subtle motion, creating a second, more elaborate throne out of ice, right next to the traditional wooden one. "Kai, would you please arrange chairs for yourself and Frida? I would be remiss to keep you standing all morning."

Anna was amazed at Kai's abilities – he seemed to pull two chairs out of thin air. At least, that's what it looked like to her. She figured she would need some kind of expert vision to be able to determine from where he had taken them. She still found herself standing, though.

"Anna?"

"Yes?"

"You can sit down…"

"On your throne?"

"Yes." Elsa looked at her for a moment, before realisation dawned on her face. "Oh, Anna. Don't worry about it. We're in this situation together, and I want us to be seen as equals in this regard. You can sit on the throne, and I'll sit on the bigger throne. Just think of it as a… rather uncomfortable old wooden chair. That's not too far from the truth anyway."

Anna nodded and slowly lowered herself into the throne. It felt odd, being in Elsa's place. She could oversee the throne room in its entirety, but somehow it also felt like she had just taken on a responsibility. She knew that was just her imagination, but still…

"Why can't I sit in the ice chair?"

Elsa hesitated a moment. "Well, to be honest, the sensation of you touching my ice might be a little too… distracting. To me, I mean."

Anna blushed. She knew exactly what Elsa meant. It was easy to forget everything around you when that warm, pulsing sensation was throbbing through your body. _Come on, Anna. It's just a chair. Just a throne. In Arendelle's throne room. No biggie. You've got this._

"Alright, let's do this thing!" Anna exclaimed, a little louder than she had intended. Elsa just smiled and nodded to the guards near the door. They opened it, after which a man in a long black cloak marched in. He removed his hat from his head as he bowed before them.

"We hear you might have information about my magic," Elsa started. Anna couldn't help but admire the tone of authority and demand in her voice. This was an entirely different Elsa than the Elsa that read to her in the library. Completely different from the Elsa that had danced with her. Not different in a bad way. Never different in a bad way. Anna had come to the conclusion that she actually liked every part of Elsa. _Wait, that sounds like a really bad sexual innuendo. Good thing I did not say that out loud_.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the man said, rising to his feet again. "I believe that, with your abilities, you could achieve great things. Naturally, creating snow and ice is within the realm of possibilities. However, I think much more than that can be done. Scientifically speaking, your magic is capable of creating wind, altering weather patterns. With practice, you might even be capable of creating magnetic fields, or even electricity on its own."

"You are aware that magic does not equal science, correct?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. But some would say that magic is simply science we do not yet understand."

Elsa held out a hand, creating a little hedgehog. She released it and watched as it scurried across the throne room, occasionally bumping into a wall, rolling over itself, or performing other actions Elsa clearly did not intend for it to do. "Can you explain that?"

The man looked on in amazement. "No, Your Majesty. I fear I cannot."

"Then I'm afraid you cannot be of service. Nonetheless, I thank you for your time."

The man bowed deeply and took his leave. "Well, if all of them are going to be dealt with that quickly, we'll be done in no time," Anna smiled.

Elsa nodded. "Yes, but we would also not learn anything useful."

"True. Next one, then?"

The next expert Hans had brought to the castle was an old woman, dressed in plain clothes, bearing down on her walking stick heavily. "Your Majesty, may I be excused from bowing? The body is not in the condition I'd like it to be. Hasn't been for many years."

Elsa and Anna both nodded in unison. "Of course. Please, tell me what you can about my magic."

"Well, I know not much about your magic, really. But I do know something about magic in general. It is not known to many that there are different forms of magic. Although, I am certain you, as a possessor of magic, are aware of certain variations. Amongst those knowledgeable on the subject, your magic is seen as 'executive magic.' It is a power you can call on whenever you wish, and you can do so consciously. After having used the magic, you can also dispel it. Now, there are also less controllable forms of magic. Of these, I do not have examples."

Elsa looked at the woman, her brows slightly furrowed. "If I told you about a witch in a faraway kingdom, who turned a woman into a bear using a cursed cake, what would that be considered?"

The old woman frowned slightly. "I suppose the witch's magic would be executive as well, seeing as she has control over it. The cake itself, would probably be considered substantial magic – a substance or object imbued with it."

"And if I told you about a golden flower with healing powers, what would that be?"

"That would be considered environmental magic, Your Majesty, if such a thing exists. The source of it may or may not be executive magic – which really tends to be the catalyst for other forms of magic."

Elsa nodded. "And if this flower's power would be transferred to a human, who can call on it through a certain ritual, it would be executive power again, correct?"

"Very astute observation, Your Majesty."

Elsa nodded for a moment. "And what would you call a magic that cannot create anything of its own, but _can_ influence other magic?"

"I fear I do not understand the question, good Queen."

Elsa created a little bird, let it loose, and watched as it shattered itself against the wall. "I cannot control the life I create," she started, creating another bird. "But with the touch of my- Miss Oaken, I can." Anna stroked the bird, after which it flew off and landed on the woman's shoulder.

"I see… This is highly unusual. I, for one, have never heard of a form of magic that would do this. And, if I may say so, I am amongst the most knowledgeable of my peers. I am certain that Miss Oaken possesses _some_ power that, somehow, augments your own, Your Majesty. I assume that this did not happen with anyone else?"

"Indeed."

"Might I be so bold as to ask to touch young Miss Oaken's hand for a moment?"

Elsa looked at Anna, indicating that she left that decision to her. Anna, seeing no harm in it, got up from the throne and walked down the few steps separating them, holding out her hand. The old woman took it, surprisingly tenderly, and closed her eyes. They stood for that for a while, and Anna was starting to feel uncomfortable when the woman opened her eyes again.

"Thank you, my dear. There is something very odd about you. I can sense the Queen's magic even from down here. I could even sense her magic from the beyond those doors. I did not feel anything about you… not until I actually touched you. There is great power inside you, but in what form I cannot tell. I am sorry to disappoint."

"Not at all," Elsa smiled as Anna took her seat again. "You have been most helpful. You are welcome to stay the night at the castle before you travel back home, if you so desire."

A guard escorted the woman away, bringing her to the guest wing. When they were alone again, Anna turned to Elsa. "So… did Merida _really_ turn her mother into a bear?"

Elsa chuckled under her breath. "Accidentally, yes."

"And what was that about a golden flower?"

"Hmm," Elsa hummed. "You should probably ask Rapunzel about that whenever you find yourself with spare time on your hands. It is a remarkably interesting story."

Anna took a mental note to do just that when the guards let the next person in. He walked up to the dais, but did not bow.

"A commoner sitting on Arendelle's throne? This is unheard of! I demand an explanation!"

This time, Anna didn't even bother being indignant. She knew it wouldn't matter. Elsa would handle this. Elsa always took care of the situation when someone insulted her. Oddly enough, it filled her with a sense of satisfaction. And that was something she was not particularly proud of.

Frost crept across the floor, up the walls, and covered the windows. As sheets of ice grew in front of them, the light became filtered, making the throne room into a dismal space. Anna could see her breath fogging up the air every time she exhaled, but despite the fact that the guards near the door shivered, she hardly felt the cold.

Elsa had gotten up from her icy throne, now towering over the man at the bottom of the steps. He too was shivering, but Anna suspected it was out of fear, rather than cold.

"How dare you show such disrespect in _my_ castle. _My_ throne room. How dare you insult those I deem worthy of sitting in _my_ throne? What have you to say in your defence?"

Now the man was all too eager to bow done before them. "Nothing, Your Majesty. I underwent a grave mistake. I do beg your forgiveness."

The ice slowly crept back towards Elsa's feet as she reigned her anger in, returning to her normal queenly state. "Forgiveness is not mine to give. You insulted Miss Oaken, so you should beg for her forgiveness instead. Unless you think your noble blood makes you too superior to ask forgiveness from a farming girl?"

"Not at all, Your Majesty." He then turned his attention to Anna. "I was out of line, good lady. I do hope you might find it in your heart to oversee my mistake, and forgive my transgression."

Anna was blindsided by having to take the decision for a moment. She appreciated it – very much, in fact – but she had not expected it, and it took her a few moments to find the proper words. "I can. However, I don't think I feel much for hearing you out. With your Queen's permission, I suggest you leave this castle and make sure we don't see each other again."

The man looked over to Elsa again.

"You're lucky, Baron Almhart. Had the choice been mine, you would have spent the night in the dungeon. Seeing as Miss Oaken is more benevolent, I suggest you hightail out of here this very instant."

Once the doors were closed again, Elsa slumped in her throne, clutching her head with both hands and releasing a long breath.

"Are you alright?" Anna asked, concern thick in her voice.

"Yes. I did not expect any nobles to be visiting us here. This might actually turn into a political mess that will come back to bite me."

"I thought it was really cool, for what it's worth," Anna snickered. She blushed as she continued. "I sort of like how you always stand up for me, Elsa. Sure, you overdo it a bit sometimes, threatening kings and planning to throw noblemen in the dungeons. But still…"

Elsa smiled. "I wouldn't _actually_ have thrown him in the dungeons, though. That would have been a little drastic considering his transgression. I'd… probably have him placed in one of the less luxurious guest rooms and placed him under house arrest for a while."

"You can do that?"

"Of course. Why would I not be able to do that if I _am_ able to throw people in the dungeons?"

"Good point."

The next man that came walking in looked rather jolly. He was somewhat overweight, his face round and particularly red. All of his clothes were either yellow or bright orange, and before he was halfway down the throne room, Anna was already annoyed by the little bells on his hat. The man bowed in front of the dais.

"Your Majesty! My good Lady! It is such an honour to be here! Allow me to introduce myself, I am Octavienne de Barlois. Court sorcerer to the queen of France, expert astronomer, wizened sage of the Order of the Callipse, Master of the Revels, and, of course, your humble servant."

Elsa and Anna shot each other a quick glance. Clearly, they were both trying to hold back their looks of amazement and confusion. Anna was surprised to find that she was, for once, the first to recover.

"Very well, kind sir. Could you tell us what you know about the magic of the Queen of Arendelle?"

The man straightened again, puffing out his chest as he spread out his arms. "I know the past, the present, and the future of all things mystical."

Elsa looked sceptical. "Very well then. Where did my magic come from?"

"Ah! That is a most simple question, Your Majesty. When you were very young…"

"Yes?"

"You were kissed by a troll."

For a long moment, Anna just stared at the man, completely gobsmacked. Besides her, Elsa did not seem to be faring much better, and Anna was fairly certain Elsa had actually forgotten how her lower jaw functioned. Elsa recovered just in time, for had she not started talking, Anna would have started laughing way harder than was acceptable in company of others.

"Kissed? By a troll?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Thank you. You can leave now," Elsa said flatly. Then man, apparently blissfully unaware of their thoughts or opinions, curtsied deeply.

"I am glad I was able to be of service."

Once he was halfway on his way to the doors, Elsa opened her mouth again. "_Oh, monsieur De Barlois? La Reine Belle n'a pas un sorcier de la cour._"

The man straightened and hurried out of the throne room after that, almost running as he pushed through the large doors. Once the doors closed, Anna couldn't help herself and started laughing manically. "Oh by Odin! Elsa, why did you never tell me about this troll? I insist you introduce me to him!" she managed in between bouts of laughter. Next to her, Elsa was also snickering.

Once their laughter died down a little, Anna turned to Elsa again. "I didn't know you spoke French, Elsa. It's really sort of sexy." Her brain seemed a little slower than her mouth – which was usually the case with Anna – and it took her a while to realise what she just said. "I'm so sorry, that was totally awkward. I don't know why I said that!"

Elsa looked a little flustered. Okay, she looked more than a little flustered, really. It took her nearly a full minute before she shook her head. "T-that's alright, Anna. No harm done, really."

"Good. What did you tell him anyway?"

"I told him Queen Belle does not have a court sorcerer…"

That produced another snicker from Anna, although this one was much shorter. For that, at least, Anna was grateful. The next twenty so-called experts did not turn up anything useful. In fact, other than the old lady they had spoken to when they started, most everyone appeared to be conmen or glory-seekers.

Elsa glanced over to Kai, who was checking off names on a list. "How many more, Kai? I'm really done with this carnival."

"Only one, Your Majesty. Surely you can hear out one more?"

"Fine, fine. Send him in!"

The man that walked in was aged, but not elderly. His long, white-grey hair hung loose, reaching beyond his shoulders, and he wore the clothes of a simple farmer. Anna would know, her brother and father wore very similar rags.

"Your Majesty, it is an honour."

"You have information about my magic, sir?"

"Yes. And no."

Anna repressed the urge to roll her eyes. When he had walked in, she thought she felt something about him that led her to believe he might actually be worth something, but it appeared he was just another vague peasant looking for attention. _Whoa, Anna! You don't really have the right to call someone a 'peasant,' you know, being the daughter of a farmer yourself! Don't let the royalty get to your head…_

"You must understand, Your Majesty, magic is a very complicated business. I know very little about it, but I will share what I know. If legends are to be believed, all magic stems from a single source. Or several sources, no one is quite certain about the exact translation of the ancient texts. I know absolutely nothing about the source of your magic. Nor can I tell you anything about its relation to Miss Oaken. However… I do know a place where you might find the answers you seek."

"Go on…"

"Legend has it Arendelle has always been a place of magic. There is a temple complex near the North Mountain – I have seen it myself when this body was still strong. It is difficult to reach, but on the western flank of the mountain, you might find the answers you so desire."

Then, without awaiting a reply, the man bowed and walked out of the throne room again. Anna wasn't certain what to think of the old man – he might just have been a mad old farmer. Or he might actually have known something. Elsa was silent for a few minutes, and looking at her face, Anna recognized that she was deep in thought.

"Kai… send word to Hans. If there is a temple on the western flank of the mountain, he should be able to find it. Or rather, have someone find it for him."

"Right away, Your Majesty."

Kai bustled off, and Anna watched him with amusement as he mumbled to himself. When she shifted her attention back to Elsa, the queen had closed her eyes and leant her head back as far is it would go. She also appeared to be holding her breath, which made Anna wonder.

"Uh, Elsa? What are you doing?"

Elsa released her breath and took another one. "Mental preparation."

"For… what?"

"One of the most awkward conversations I'm going to have in my entire life."

Anna didn't understand. What could possibly be so bad that Elsa needed to-

_Oh. Right!_

Elsa opened her eyes, got up, and disintegrated her icy throne. "Meet me in the library in half an hour?"

* * *

When Anna came into the library, the fire was already burning in the fireplace, two cups of hot chocolate were standing on the small table, and the chairs had been turned towards the fire. Elsa, however, was nowhere to be seen. She knew it was ridiculous, but for a moment she feared Elsa might have decided that maybe, just maybe, this talk was not such a good idea.

When the elegant blonde opened the library door and strode in as if she owned the place – _She sort of does, but never mind that… _\- Anna was immensely relieved. Elsa sat down opposite her, and opened her mouth. Just then, however, she closed it again, not having uttered a word, and cocked her head to the side. She held up one finger to indicate Anna to wait, got up again, and walked over to the door.

"Merida, Rapunzel. If you want to admire art, go to the gallery… No, Merida, this painting is not so special as to warrant your loitering in this particular corridor… You know what, just take the painting and go bring it to the gallery. Yes. Thank you."

"No, thank you Gerda, we won't be needing anything. Really, there is no need to wait here. I'll send for you if we need anything. Yes, I am quite certain. _Goodbye_, Gerda."

"Hans, do you really expect me to believe you are here to find a book…? Fine, here's the key to the tower library, knock yourself out, brother. Yes. Indeed. Oh, you bet I'm trying to chase you off. Now shoo!"

"Kai, unless there's an army marching through my front gates at this very instant, your important business is going to have to wait. I will see to it as soon as I'm done here. Go! Fine, fine. I, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, first of my name, appoint Kai Erstadt, Head Steward of Arendelle Castle, to be the regent of Arendelle, city and kingdom, until such rights are revoked. There, now you are in charge. Go and… do whatever it is you wanted me to do. Yes, thank you."

"Guards! I want you to take up positions on both ends of the corridor. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, is allowed through. Miss Oaken and I are not to be disturbed until we've left the library. Under threat of… public flogging, or some other horrible punishment you can think of. Yes. Absolutely. Good."

Elsa closed the door, turned the key in the lock, and froze the lock over for good measure. Only then did she return to her seat and look at Anna. "I… I'm sorry about that. I preferred not to be disturbed… or have anyone eavesdropping."

"I understand. In fact, I think you handled them brilliantly," Anna smiled. "So… how are we going to do this?"

Elsa bit her lower lip, something Anna had come to regard as a nervous habit. "Well, I suppose I haven't been treating you very fairly… I've kept you out of the loop on some things you should have been made aware of… and I deliberately postponed this very conversation to give me a little more time to… prepare, and think things over. So I guess it is only fair that I allow you to ask questions. And then provide answers, of course."

Anna nodded for a moment. "Okay, that works for me…" There were so many questions fighting for her attention inside her head that she had trouble picking one. She scrunched her face up in thought for a moment. "What did you and my father talk about?"

Elsa chuckled, but there was absolutely no humour in it. "Dive straight into the awkwardness, why don't ye…" Elsa remained silent for a while after that, but Anna just took a sip from her hot chocolate and waited for the words to come. She knew they would, eventually.

"Well, your father and I discussed several things. I told him about your connection to my magic, and its importance to me personally and Arendelle as a whole. In light of that connection, I asked him if it was okay for you to… remain here… indefinitely." Elsa paused, letting her words sink in, before suddenly bolting up straight. "With which I don't mean to say I'm forcing you to stay here, of course. The choice is entirely yours, I just wanted to make sure that your father would be okay with it if you would decide to stay here and-" The onslaught of words stopped as suddenly as it had started. "Sorry. I'm… a little nervous, I believe."

Anna giggled. It was lovely to see the less composed side of Elsa for a change. "Don't worry Elsa. I'll stay here as long as you want me to. So… what else?"

Elsa pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly trying to get her thoughts in order again. After a while, Anna sighed. "Alright. Let's just leave that question for later, hm? Since it appears to be a difficult question to answer, I'll get back to it later."

"Anna, you don't have to-"

"I know, Elsa. But it's alright. I'll get my answer eventually, and maybe some of the other questions might, you know, serve to pave the way to the big one? I have no idea what the big one is, but for some reason, I know there _is_ a big one. So, next question! Uh, let's see… Ah, yes! Really, Anna? Why didn't you _start_ with this one. Seriously, you've-"

"You're supposed to be talking with me, not yourself. You know that, right?" Anna looked up at Elsa again and stuck out her tongue. "Why did you kiss me?"

"Well… there was mistletoe. And… you _did_ kind of force my hand on that one…"

Anna nodded. "Did it mean anything?"

Elsa seemed to think about that for a while. Anna didn't know why, but that didn't seem like a good sign. She really dreaded to hear Elsa say 'no,' but she had prepared for it, just in case.

"It's a difficult question," Elsa started. "At first I thought it didn't, since we only kissed because of the mistletoe… But then Merida and Rapunzel lectured me… and I came to realise that the cause of the kiss does not really change anything about its meaning… The only thing of importance is what one feels, I think. And… I don't know about you, but I definitely did feel _something_."

"Me too." The words blurted out of her mouth before she had even thought them. But they were true, so she didn't worry about that too much. Besides, they served to make Elsa smile, which couldn't possibly be a bad thing.

"Okay, more on that later. Why does everyone think we're getting engaged?"

That actually made Elsa smile. "Several reasons. Hans, Merida, Rapunzel, Kai and Gerda, Belle. They all seem convinced we _should_ get engaged. Mostly they think it because of us, though. It… isn't very common for a queen to take such a keen interest in anyone, so logically it resulted in some rumours… Rather persistent rumours…"

Anna nodded, but had a gnawing feeling somewhere inside her. She took a moment to reflect on it, find its source, and see what she could do about it. Elsa seemed perfectly content to just sit and wait for the next question, so Anna didn't hurry. After a while, she realised what the problem was. With all these questions, she was just running in circles. She didn't know what Elsa and her father had talked about, she knew they felt _something_, and she knew how the rumours came to be. But there, at the centre of the circle in which she ran, was the grand question. And there was no way to get an answer to it without making the both of them very, very uncomfortable.

_But it's a question that needs to be asked. Otherwise we'll always stay awkward around each other and then we'll never know. Besides, sometimes the benefits outweigh the risks, don't they… Well… Here goes._

"Would _you_ like us to be engaged?" Anna was absolutely positive that she had never before blushed as she blushed now. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears, feel her cheeks heat up, then her nose, her forehead. Even her throat became heated and itchy. And this heat, unfortunately, had nothing to do with the fire roaring next to her.

Elsa was undergoing a very similar process, she could see. Even in the poor light of the fireplace, she could see the redness spreading from her throat upwards. It was rather an enticing sight. And that thought only added to Anna's blush.

Elsa opened her mouth several times to answer the question, never quite finding the right words. "Elsa, it's okay… just… uh… you know. Start with a yes or no? And then… you can elaborate later."

Elsa closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then, barely audible, answered the question. "Yes."

Anna couldn't believe it. She had been preparing for this for days. She had dreamt about this very moment. But now that it was here, she was nevertheless completely taken by surprise. This was the queen of Arendelle she was talking to. She was a farming girl from Hellmark. Things like these happened in fairy tales. Not in the real world. And most certainly not in Anna's life.

"Anna? Please say something?"

"Oh! Right! Sorry. Uhm. Okay?"

"Okay?"

"Yes?"

"Yes?"

"God this is strange. Uhm. Good. I meant to say good. I'd very much like to be engaged to you too. Right. That was the right thing to say. By Loki that was awkward. I'm awkward, you're not. Okay. Good. Breathe. Yes. I'm not dreaming, right? Because if I am, I'm so going to be angry with you when I wake up."

"You're awake."

"So… you like me?"

"Yes. I do."

"As in… like-me like me?"

"If that means 'I want to get married to you' then… yes."

"Wow. Okay, right. That's out in the open now, which is good. So… now what?"

"I don't understand?"

"Are we engaged? Do we… need to sign something?"

Elsa giggled. "We're engaged, Anna." There was a short pause as Elsa's breath hitched. "Holy Asgard… We're engaged!"

Anna shook her head with a wry smile. "This is so weird… I feel like we're doing everything completely out of order…"

"We probably are. But to me… it feels right. I don't know how else to explain it…"

"Oh, I know exactly how you feel. So… tell me… since when did you, you know, feel like this?"

"Well… I got a crush on you when I saw you on the village square in Hellmark. That only worsened over dinner… and then you camped outside so I could sleep in your bed… But I didn't expect to see you again. Imagine my surprise when I saw you at the castle a few weeks later… during that dinner, everything… sort of exploded? Gerda knew exactly which dress would catch my attention. She knew exactly how I would prefer your hair… It was uncanny, really. By that time, Hans, Gerda and Kai had already caught on to my… inclination towards you."

"I actually dreamt about you when I slept in the field," Anna smiled, recalling the memory in which Elsa had kissed her. "It's pretty impossible not to fall in love with you, you know that?"

Elsa smiled shyly, which was an all too adorable sight.

"You know… this actually explains a lot. All the little quips. The kiss. All the gifts and attention. It all makes sense now… I assume your talk with papa had something to do with this as well?"

Elsa nodded. "I asked him for your hand, if you were to be amenable towards the proposal, of course. And since a marriage between the two of us would make your entire family into a noble House, there were some… technicalities."

"How did he respond?"

Elsa cocked her head to the side again. "He was… giddy. I never thought a man of his posture could giggle. He giggled. A lot. And… then he gave us his blessing…"

Anna smiled. "That's good…" Then she suddenly frowned. "Elsa… not to be rude or anything, but this feels really weird. Don't get me wrong, I would love to marry you… but it just doesn't feel…"

Elsa smiled and nodded. "I understand. It's all a little too sudden, I think. Luckily, we're only _engaged_. We can remain like that indefinitely. We won't even have to think about marriage for years, if we don't want to… So if that's what concerns you, you need not worry."

Anna smiled. "Great. So we can get to know each other a little better before... Before everything gets real... Then I have one question left…"

"Go ahead."

"Can I kiss my fiancée?"

Elsa's face sported a smile that was broader than any Anna had seen so far. "I thought you'd never ask…"

* * *

**Okay. This chapter is waaay long. I intended it to be shorter. If the length offends you, I'm really sorry. But rest assured I won't make a habit out of it. I think. In fact, this chapter was supposed to be even longer, but I figured this would be a good place to leave off for now. The next chapter will follow _immediately_ after this one. As in, seconds after Elsa's final answer. It's already written.**

**As always, dear lads and lasses, comments and criticisms are always welcome. Do me a little favour and leave me a review if you enjoyed it. Or… if you didn't. Doesn't matter really, just… leave a review, please? :3**

**Oh! Almost forgot… I have a little question for all you lovely people. At some point while writing a story, an author needs to decide on a certain course when it comes to love-making. This story is either going to contain smut… or it isn't. That's a decision I'm leaving up to you, because it really doesn't matter all that much to me. Either is fine for me. Just… leave your thoughts somewhere where I am likely to find them (that being a review or a PM). Thanks in advance!**


	13. Chapter 13

**First, I'd like to thank everyone for their support. Before my previous chapter, I didn't really feel like writing anymore, but you people have definitely helped me through, and I'm back up to full speed. I promise this won't become a very long AN, but I want to drop a quick note on my updating schedule: It's best for you to just think I update randomly, because that's pretty close to the truth. I have three online stories, and four more stories in the wings for later, as well as university and work, so I won't always be able to update as fast as I'd like. I hope you all understand that. **

**Now, without further ado, enjoy the new chapter!**

**Also, don't forget to follow/fav/_review_ please! :)**

**Oh, and don't forget this chapter follows _immediately_ on the previous one, so you might want to re-read the ending bit of that one if you've forgotten! :)**

* * *

_Oh by all the gods in the Asgardian pantheon, is this really happening?_

Elsa could only sit and watch as Anna slowly rose from her seat, took the two steps that separated them, and started bending forward with a shy little grin around her lips. Those lips would be on hers in mere seconds.

Elsa shouldn't have been surprised when Anna tumbled over, landing in Elsa's lap in a sprawled mess. It was, after all, the same clumsy Anna she had grown so fond of over the past few weeks. Anna giggled – another addition to the gallery of adorable things Anna did – and straightened herself.

"I guess that's one way to end on my lap," Elsa admonished with a smile. Anna didn't respond verbally, instead reaching her hand out to Elsa's cheek, cupping it gently as she moved her own head forward. Elsa closed her eyes in anticipation, and even though it didn't even last a second, the time it took for their lips to reach each other seemed like centuries.

But when they finally did, everything seemed to be right in the world. Elsa felt all the worries of the past weeks sliding of her shoulders as little lights started dancing behind her closed eyelids. Their lips remained still for a moment, both women getting used to the feeling, savouring it.

Anna's lips were soft, and incredibly warm. And oh so very pliant against her own. She reached out with her hand, cupping Anna's cheek in return as her other arm snaked around her waist, pulling her in closer. She really couldn't care less about propriety right now. Besides, she'd made sure everyone stayed clear from the library. Not with the intention of doing this, but it worked out well enough.

Anna deepened the kiss, growing more insistent as a tiny mewl escaped from her throat. And that, Elsa decided, was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. It beat singing birds and the wind blowing through the trees. It even beat Anna's adorable giggling. After some time, they were forced to part from one another, both panting and feeling the need to restock their supplies of air.

"Wow."

"Yes… that was… wow."

"So, uh… what do we do now? I guess there's a lot to be done, right?"

Elsa shook her head. "Not if we're taking this slow," Elsa replied hesitantly. "We'll just need to send word to your family. We don't need to announce it to the council yet. Or the entire kingdom, for that matter. Especially if we're planning on being engaged for a… longer time than usual."

"No!"

Elsa frowned in confusion. "No?"

"No. This is going to sound really odd, I think… But I want people to know. I mean… it's not like we're doing it behind anyone's back, right? We're both adults… and since the rumours are already there… we might as well just outright tell them… Or am I missing something here?"

Elsa wavered for a moment. "No… you're right. And if the two of us doesn't pan out, we can always just annul the engagement. But I have a feeling that won't be necessary…"

"Good," Anna smiled, winking at her. "In that case I suppose we have some work to do?"

Elsa nodded. "That we do, yes." Elsa shifted a little under Anna's weight.

The redhead immediately jumped to her feet. "Right! Sorry, propriety needs to be observed. I'll be a proper lady from now on!"

Elsa snickered a little. "Anna, propriety was the least of my worries. But, now that you're standing, we might as well get things moving."

Anna nodded fervently. "Right. Let's go tell the masses! Ring the bells! Do whatever queens do when they get engaged!"

Elsa laughed softly as she opened the library door again. "Guard. Go find Kai. He should be… somewhere right around the corner, probably…"

Surely enough, Kai came hurrying down the corridor mere seconds after the guard had turned the corner. "Your Majesty, you had sent for me?"

"Yes, Kai. I have a few things I need you to do." Elsa quickly glanced at Anna, who gave her an almost imperceptible nod. "First I need you to find Rapunzel, Merida, Belle, Hans and Gerda. Bring all of them to my study, please. Then I need you schedule a meeting with the Grand Council for later today… actually, make that tonight. Somewhere after dinner should be good. Once that is done, I need you to ride to Hellmark, and bring Anna's family back here post-haste. Mr. Oaken will probably know what is going on, so you won't actually need to convince him. Once they are here, make sure to get rooms for them, and inform me immediately."

"Of course, Your Majesty. If I may be so bold, does this mean…?"

Elsa took a deep breath. _Here goes, no way back now…_ "Yes. Anna and I are engaged."

She was a little surprised to find Kai bouncing up and down like a little kid in a candy store, clapping his hands and smiling all the while. "Kai, your duties?"

"Yes, right away! Your Majesty, Your Highness," he curtsied before running off.

Elsa looped her arm through Anna's, noticing how she seemed to have turned radiant after she'd delivered the news to Kai. "I hope you don't mind telling our royal gossipers before we can tell your family?"

Anna laughed softly. "The only way to get out of that is avoiding them altogether until Papa and Kristoff are here. So, let's go to your study, shall we, _my Queen_?"

A shiver ran down Elsa's spine at the final two words. Somehow, Anna made it sound like a term of endearment, but there was also a hint of something else in her voice. Something Elsa could not quite place. "Let's. We can discuss a few things on the way there. You'll need a personal servant, a permanent one. I would assume you'd prefer Frida?"

"If I can, then yes…"

"Very well. You'll also need a personal guard, Anna. You probably don't know many of the guardsmen around here, but I'd be more than happy to introduce you to a few suitable candidates…"

Anna pondered on that for a while. "Actually, Elsa… I don't know how all of this works, but the man in charge of my protective detail… I think his name was Orvik? Can I get that one?"

Elsa nodded, smiling down at Anna. "You can get everything and anything you want. Also… I've been thinking…"

"Yes?"

"We are engaged, but we don't have… you know… rings."

Anna frowned. "Right… hadn't thought about that. What do you propose?"

"Well… We could go and have some made by one of the craftsmen in the city… Or I could see if I can make something with my – our – magic?"

"Oh, do the magic! Do the magic!" Anna looked so enthused that Elsa had a hard time refusing her. Thus, they found themselves in the middle of a corridor, both hunched over slightly, staring intently at Elsa's hands as she fashioned two delicate rings out of sparkling blue ice, making sure to follow Anna's every direction to the letter.

"Won't this be too distracting? You know, the constant feeling of me touching your ice?" Anna asked with concern.

"I think it'll be fine. It's only a little bit of ice. Nothing I can't handle. Nothing like you sitting on a throne made out of ice..." Elsa replied sheepishly.

Anna furrowed her brows. "Wait... is this the reason you had me sit on your throne this morning? Because of the engagement plans?"

Elsa hesitated slightly. "Well... technically, there were no engagement plans until a few minutes ago... But yes, I was hoping to... you know... sort things out a little."

Nearly fifteen minutes later, they finally walked into Elsa's office, not at all surprised to find everyone already seated there, looking on with anticipation. Before Elsa could even say anything, Rapunzel started squealing like a pig getting ready for slaughter.

"I knew it! I knew it! Oh, I so called it! You all owe me!"

Elsa cocked an eyebrow as she watched Eugene roll his eyes, Merida lean back with an indignant huff and Hans lower his head into his hands. "Do I even want to know?" Elsa asked, half-joking.

Anna smiled warmly at her. "They had a bet going… about our engagement."

Elsa looked at them all incredulously. "Seriously? You were betting on… Why didn't you… I really think… Fine. Yes, Anna and I are engaged." _It still sounds so very weird…_

There was a round of cheers and everyone moved in to congratulate them, burrowing Elsa and Anna under tons of statements like 'about time' and 'I knew this would happen' and 'I'm so happy for you two.' After a while, everyone settled down to hear the details.

"Well, I'd go into the events of the past few days, but most of you were part of that, so I won't even bother," Elsa started. "I suppose all you need to know for now is that we've decided to have a longer engagement period before the actual marrying than usual – despite our feelings we are, technically, still, more or less, strangers to each other. Also… Anna's family doesn't know yet, Kai should be bringing them back here as we speak. I'd like to invite all of you to dine with us tonight, if that's okay with you, Anna?"

Anna nodded, looking at her with visible admiration.

"Okay. Anna and I will be talking to the Grand Council after dinner-"

"Good luck with that," Hans interrupted. "I doubt those old geezers are going to be happy about this."

"They're not all bad," Elsa admonished. "Some of them will be happy for us. After the Grand Council, we'll be making the public announcement to the castle staff."

Gerda nodded excitedly. "What about the kingdom, if I may ask, Your Majesty?"

Elsa looked at Anna. "When do you want to do the balcony speech?"

"We could do it tomorrow? Right? Around noon, perhaps?"

Gerda piped up. "Excellent. Very good judgment, Miss- Uh… Your Majesty, I'm not certain about the conventions…"

Elsa smiled. "She's still Miss Oaken – nothing has been signed yet. Though, if I know her as well as I hope I do, she'd be fine being called Anna."

Anna nodded vigorously. "As long as I don't have a title, you can call me Anna. I know you wouldn't feel comfortable addressing me as such when I'm officially nobility, but we'll tackle that issue when we get to it."

"Very well, Anna," Gerda smiled. "I'll make sure the entire city knows to be at the southern square at noon tomorrow."

"Thank you, Gerda."

The amenable chatter continued for an hour or so, until Merida eventually got to her feet and jumped onto a chair. "Alrighty folks! 'Tis time we all go, and give the lasses some time on their own, aye?"

Elsa assured everyone that they'd see each other at dinner, after which they all trailed out of the office, returning to whatever business they had been attending to when Elsa had summoned them. Elsa and Anna sat in silence for a while, just looking at each other with silly grins on their faces. After a while, Elsa collected her thoughts and called a servant in.

"Go find Commander Orvik and a servant girl named Frida – you'll probably find the latter in or near Miss Oaken's chambers. Tell both of them the queen needs them in her study immediately."

The servant left again, and Anna chuckled dryly. "They're going to think they are in so much trouble, being summoned like that…"

"Yes, I'm aware. But I can't go around telling any and all servants about our engagement. Not until we've done the general announcement to castle staff."

"There are going to be a lot of announcements going around, aren't there?" Anna asked smugly.

"Just be glad we can send messengers to the villages, rather than informing them all personally."

Anna suddenly started laughing. "I wonder what they'll say in Hellmark. 'Did you hear? Little Anna Oaken marrying the queen!' I can hear them gossiping all the way from here."

They shared another laugh at that, until a knock on the door signaled someone's arrival. "Enter," Elsa called with her queenly voice.

Frida came shuffling in, incredibly awkwardly and tense at first, but immediately relaxing when she saw Anna in the study as well. "Your Majesty had sent for me?"

"Yes. Please take a seat. Everything we're going to tell you has to remain a secret for the time being."

"You have my word."

"Good. Anna and I… we are engaged. That means Anna will become nobility, eventually even royalty, and she'll need a long-term personal servant. Anna has requested you for the job. If you were to accept-"

"Yes, Your Majesty. It would be an honour."

Elsa smiled. Despite the interruption, she couldn't really blame the girl. She took a quill and scribbled some instructions for Gerda on a piece of paper. "Go and find Gerda. Give her this, and she'll see to it that everything is taken care of. After that, I want you to return here. From the moment of your return, you'll be in Anna's service, and I expect your utmost dedication. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Of course."

"Very well. Please send Commander Orvik in on your way out."

The bulky commander came shuffling in much like the smaller servant girl had, a look of uncertainty and confusion showing he felt like a fish on dry land.

"Please, Commander, take a seat," Elsa said, still bowed over her desk, but trying to sound reassuring nonetheless.

The man sat down, switching his gaze from the queen to her esteemed guest. "Your Majesty, to what do I owe this… summons?"

Elsa looked up and smiled. "No need to worry, Commander. I might have an assignment for you, that's all."

The Commander relaxed visibly as Elsa continued. "You cannot tell anyone yet, but Miss Oaken and I have finalized our engagement earlier today. The announcements will be made later today and tomorrow. I'm certain you'll understand that, as a noblewoman, and later as Princess-Consort of Arendelle, she'll need a personal guard."

The man nodded, not interrupting his liege.

"You've been tasked with ensuring Anna's safety during the Yule celebrations, and Anna has requested you for a more permanent assignment. I know that not all military men are eager to perform, what they call, babysitting assignments, so I'd like to hear your opinion."

"I would be honoured to protect Lady Oaken, Your Majesty. With my life, if the need were to arise. She has shown remarkable personality and kindness to anyone she encountered, and I cannot think of many who deserve the protection more. However, I would not be able to fully perform this assignment on my own."

"I'm aware. You can pick up to ten men from wherever you desire. Kai will oversee the paperwork and inspect the men you've chosen, so report to him when you are ready."

"Of course, Your Majesty. And… congratulations to you both on your engagement."

Once they were alone again, Anna turned to Elsa hesitantly. "Elsa? Can I ask a few questions? About... all of this?"

"Of course, Anna."

"Will I live here, in the castle?"

"If you want to, yes."

Elsa could only watch as Anna crossed her arms and huffed playfully. "Elsa, we're engaged! Neither of us is enslaved... I want to know what _you_ want just as much as the other way around. So... do you want me to live here in the castle?"

Elsa laughed a little under her breath. "Yes, Anna, I would love for you to live here with me. Naturally, being the queen more or less prohibits me from moving anywhere else..."

Anna nodded. "That's settled then. I'll live here. But uh... what would I do? Do I get duties, or am I supposed to just sit in my room staring at paintings and brushing my hair all day? If that's the case, I'm going to have some objections."

Elsa felt her brows knitting together as she thought about the question. "Well, as my fiancée you don't necessarily have _duties_, but I'm sure I can saddle you up with some work, if you want to? What would you like to do?"

"I want to help you!"

"Okay... Let's see... You'll have as much power as I lend to you, being well on your way to being Princess-Consort. You won't get any executive powers of your own unless you become Princess-Regnant, which would basically make you my co-ruler. But that's something to be discussed later, if you're interested. What are you good at, Anna? I can't just assign you some job you have no experience in..."

"At the farm I used to keep track of the finances for Papa, and I always handled the communication with the shopkeepers in the village – the ones that bought our products."

Elsa smiled. _That I can work with... Now, where did Kai keep those papers? _She rummaged through the drawers of the desk for a while, after which she moved to the shelves lining the walls. Eventually, she found the folder she was looking for. "I think I have some duties that might interest you, Anna," she smiled. "I think you'll-"

A resolute knocking to the door interrupted her. "Your Majesty?"

"Come in, Kai."

"The good sirs Oaken have arrived. They are rather insistent on seeing the two of you straight away. Well, mostly the younger sir Oaken, I must say. He appears to be rather worried."

"Yes, Kai, please bring them here," she replied, smiling as Kai nodded and walked away again. She then turned to Anna. "I think you should be the one to tell them... They are your family, after all."

Anna nodded, looking both very eager and incredible anxious about the revelation. Those looks only increased when her family shuffled into the study. Asger looked content and slightly agitated, but Kristoff looked completely aghast – Elsa gathered that his father had not told him anything about their conversation.

"Gentlemen, please have a seat," Elsa smiled as Anna's servant stepped in, closed the door, and stood behind her mistress. "I'm very sorry for calling you here on such short notice, but there is some business that really cannot be put off. Thank you for coming with such haste."

Both men nodded, shifting to the edge of their seats. Elsa shot Anna a quick glance, raising her eyebrows and smiling encouragingly. She watched as Anna took a deep breath.

Rather than actual words, a high-pitches squeal was the first sound to erupt from Anna's mouth, after which she quickly covered it. "I'm sorry. That was weird. Uhm, so yeah. This is going to be even weirder… Elsa – Queen Elsa, I mean… - Well, the two of us are… kind of… engaged?"

_Not exactly the way I would have handled it,_ Elsa mused. _But at least it's out there now_…

She watched bemusedly as the giant bear of a man started giggling again, clapping his hands in glee. It was clear from whom Anna had learned some of her mannerisms. Although it fitted Anna perfectly, it looked rather out of place on such a large, rugged man. His son's reaction was one of… Well, Elsa wasn't sure how to describe it.

Kristoff sat with his eyes wide and his mouth open, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, and looking as if he could tumble from his chair any moment. Elsa wasn't sure whether he was taking the news well, and had she been able to foresee _this_ she would have made sure to call the court physician beforehand.

Anna didn't seem bothered, though, as she nimbly jumped out of her chair and flicked her brother's nose with her fingers, causing him to flinch and clutch his face. "Auch! What did you do that for?"

"You were doing _it_ again. The wide-eyed, open-mouthed staring thing… You know, the one you get when you overload your brain?"

"Well, can you blame me? My baby sister just told me she's going to marry the Queen and become a princess! What would you have done if _I_ told you I was engaged to the queen?"

Anna snorted. "Get very jealous, probably. You know, seeing as she's _my_ fiancée…"

Kristoff chuckled a little. "Fair enough. When I warned you not to be mistaken for royalty I was joking, though… I didn't think you'd actually become royalty… This is a little unexpected. Papa should have told me…"

"No, no!" Asger yelped. "I didn't know for certain, hm? Queen Elsa asked my permission, ya? But that was all!"

"Oh, come on! We both knew Anna fancied her! Surely you knew she would say yes, that's not an excuse at all!"

The two men continued their squabbling for a few minutes, and Elsa stifled a giggle as Anna gave her a look that was at the same time exasperated and apologetic. After a while, Elsa cleared her throat, recapturing their attention. "I suppose your surprise is only logical, considering our own surprise in the matter. We remained… largely unaware of our feelings towards one another for quite a while – even though half the kingdom had apparently already made up their minds about our engagement. For the time being, however, we will _remain_ engaged. We feel that it would be beneficial for us to use our engagement period to get each other to know a little better…"

Both men nodded. Elsa procured a few documents from the bottom drawer. "Being the queen more or less prevents me from keeping something like this under the lid, so we will have to make a series of announcements. Logically, we wanted you to hear the news from us, rather than a town crier. That would have been… unfortunate. We will be announcing our engagement to my regency council tonight, and to the city tomorrow, after which messengers will be sent to all the outlying cities and villages. There are some... legal issues to work through before that, though... I've already discussed the majority of these with your father…"

Folding the papers open and spreading them out over the desk, Elsa waited until everyone had gathered. "First, Anna and I will need to sign our engagement declaration," Elsa explained, pointing to the first document, after which she had to stop Anna from lurching at the quill – knocking an inkwell to the ground in the process.

"Sorry," the energetic woman muttered bashfully.

Elsa just laughed as she shrugged it off. "I have plenty more of those, don't worry. Anyway, as soon as that document has been signed, the Oaken family will officially become nobility – House Oaken of Hellmark. There is some leeway in the actual title you will receive, but I have these documents written up to make you both Dukes."

"What about me?" Anna immediately piped up. "I won't be a princess until we're married, right? So what am I until then?"

Elsa reached out for another document. "If you sign this, you'll be Duchess of Hellmark, Countess of the western district and Baroness of Arendelle – the capital city, not the kingdom. Once we're actually married, Princess-Consort will be added to the list."

"Whoa, that's a lot," Anna muttered under her breath.

"Yes, well… you _are_ engaged to the queen," Kristoff chuckled, poking Anna in her side, eliciting a loud yelp and a tumbling chair.

"Is all of this… agreeable?" Elsa asked. "If not, we can make adjustments to ensure-"

"Everything is perfect, Elsa," Anna interrupted, gently placing her hand on her arm. "I'm sure papa and Kristoff are fine with anything…"

Both men nodded. "Very well then. Let's see… right, the house seal. Uh, for Anna's stay here I created a temporary seal depicting a griffin. Would you prefer a new one designed, or will you be using the existing one."

"Hands off of my griffin!" Anna growled to her family, who immediately accepted. Elsa got the feeling that neither of them cared very much for their seal, and were all too happy to let Anna handle the details of the founding of their house.

"Good. Then, I believe the urgent business is all handled. If you'd please sign the documents, I can have them added to the archive."

Everyone signed the necessary documents after Elsa pulled a new inkwell from one of the cabinets behind her desk. Once it was all stacked and bundled again, Elsa called for Kai to enter, who had been waiting outside the door. "Please make sure this is all in the right place, Kai."

There was a short silence as Kai looked at the papers, accepted them, and curtsied. "Of course, Your Majesty. Milady. M'lords."

Elsa couldn't suppress the giggle that rose from her throat as she looked at the reactions of the new nobles at actually being addressed as such. "Don't worry, you grow used to it. I'll make sure news of the founding of a new house is spread as necessary. Now, if you would not mind terribly, Anna and I have some further business that needs discussing. However, I'd like to invite you to dinner with some friends tonight. I'm certain your servants will see to your every need."

Anna waited for them to leave before she started talking. "Oh, they're going to be so incredibly uncomfortable having dinner with royalty!" she giggled excitedly. "Now, what did we need to discuss?"

"Not much… But you said you wanted to have some duties, so there's that…"

"Right! Let's do this then!"

Elsa couldn't help swooning at Anna's excited demeanour. "You really are too adorable for your own good, Anna," she muttered before planting a kiss on the girl's cheek. "And I'm eternally grateful for being allowed to kiss you now. I've had to hold back on it so often…"

Anna's face split into a sly grin. "Really now? Like when?"

"When you came for my band during the treasure hunt. When we walked back to the castle. When I walked you to your room. During the banquet. While dancing at the ball. During the representatives' ball. When I saw you before your first dinner at the castle… I'm sure I'm forgetting most of them, though."

Anna blushed a deep scarlet. "I wanted to kiss you very often too," she muttered, looking at her feet.

"And now you can," Elsa smiled. "But let's get our business done first, shall we?"

"That's probably best, yes."

"I was thinking you could be _hofsjeff_, or Lord Chamberlain_, _if you'd like…"

"Uh, sure, I think? What does it mean, though?"

"Basically, it would make you responsible for everything going on inside this castle. All of the household expenses, servants and their duties, things like that. You'd be working with Kai and Gerda a lot, and they would also ease you into the function."

"Okay, that sounds… like a lot. Are you sure you trust me with your money?"

"I'd trust you with my life, Anna. Surely, my money shouldn't be a problem. Besides, like I said, Kai and Gerda will be mentoring you for a while first."

"Right. Sure. I can do that."

"Furthermore, if you want, you can take on some of my meetings with the townsfolk. Merchant's Council, Council of Crafts, and the likes. Just talk to them about how everything is going, and report to me when we need to undertake action. Think you are up for that, too?"

"I won't be doing it alone, right?"

"Not at first, no. Kai will be helping with that as well. But… it would lighten my schedule a little if you were to take these meetings for me."

Anna nodded. "I'm all over it, moondrop!"

"Moondrop?"

"Yes. Moondrop! I need a pet name for you. Your hair and skin are like... Don't argue it! It is perfect!"

"If you say so…" Elsa replied hesitantly. _Just… don't do that in public, please?_

* * *

Dinner with their friends and family had been a lovely and relaxing time. Nothing, Elsa reflected, like the meeting with the council that was about to start. She noticed that some of the councilmen were glaring at Anna maliciously – something she would make sure they weren't going to make a habit of. Others seemed quite content or even amiable towards her presence.

Once everyone was seated around the large table, and Anna and Elsa had taken their seats in the thrones at the head, Elsa cleared her throat. "Councilmen. Allow me to introduce you all to Lady Anna of House Oaken, Duchess of Hellmark, Countess of the West, Baroness of Arendelle… and my fiancée."

The council erupted in chaos. Some men congratulated them, while others got up from their chairs and started objecting. "Gentlemen!" Elsa snapped. "The engagement papers have been signed. It is all official. Frankly, I do not really care whether you agree with the decision or not. The decision was mine to make, and it is _final_. Furthermore, Lady Anna will also be the acting Lord Chamberlain of Arendelle Castle, starting immediately after Yule."

"Your Majesty, this is outrageous! I mean no disrespect to either of you, but you're the Queen and she's a farmer. You _can't_ marry her, the notion in itself is preposterous. And giving her control over the castle's finances? Did your parents teach you nothing, Elsa?"

Elsa got to her feet with so much force that her throne was shoved backwards a little. "My parents taught me plenty, _Arnoud_. They taught me that it was wrong to love women, just because I am one myself. They taught me that I had to hide my magic. They taught me I was a monster that should be hidden away as much as possible. So I would advise against bringing _their_ opinions and rules into this debate. And if you dare forget my title one more time, I will ensure you no longer _have_ a title. Do I make myself clear?"

The man nodded, suddenly a few shades paler than before.

"Good. Now, Lady Anna has experience handling finances, and will be aided by Kai, so there is nothing to worry about. Does anyone else wish to express any concerns or other issues that need to be addressed?"

One of the men rose to his feet. "First of all, Your Majesty, Milady, congratulations on behalf of House Armen. I was merely wondering when the marriage ceremony will be held?"

"We've decided to hold off on the actual marriage for the time being," Elsa explained, easing herself back into her throne. "We are both young and feel there is no need to rush matters along."

The councilman nodded and sat back down, after which several others congratulated them on behalf of their houses. Three of the councilmen, however, refused to rise or partake in the following discussions. When all the affairs had finally been settled, Elsa addressed them.

"Gentlemen, you've been conspicuously silent during this meeting. Care to explain why you choose to neglect your duties?"

"It is not I who neglects my duties, Queen Elsa. Frankly speaking, I believe _you_ are the one neglecting your duties. Had you married a prince – possibly Prince Hans, you would have been able to strengthen our ties to another kingdom."

"Besides," the second man continued, "This abomination of a marriage will not produce any offspring. You will have no lawful heir to the throne. Do you really want to leave Arendelle in such a vulnerable position?"

"Not to mention what others will think. A marriage between women, not even mentioning the social statuses, is an abomination in the eyes of God," the eldest elaborated. "Our people will riot when they hear. Kingdoms will annul their treaties with us. Neighbours will boycott our trade."

Before Elsa could respond, Councilman Armen rose again. "Your Majesty… House Armen would like to propose removing the Houses of Ordin, Leidorf and Arn from the Grand Council."

Another man immediately rose. "House Almstein supports this motion, Your Majesty." Soon, the majority of the council had gotten to its feet, spurring Elsa and Anna to rise as well.

"On what ground does House Armen propose this motion?"

"Disrespecting of our monarch, and the resulting gross neglect of their duties as representatives of the people. Clearly, they are not in touch with the community, or they would know that your marriage has the support of the majority of the people."

Elsa turned to Anna, who bit her lower lip, but gave a slow and measured nod at the same time. "Very well. House Ordin, House Leidorf, House Arn – by common will of the Grand Council, and by the power invested in me, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, I relieve you of your duties on this council. You may now leave."

As the men left and everyone took their seats again, Elsa stared at the three empty chairs. "During our next meeting, we will discuss who will come to replace the dismissed houses," Elsa proclaimed. "As for the issue that was raised earlier: I will ensure that adoption laws are adjusted in such a way as to make an adopted child between Lady Anna and I as much a legal heir as a biological child would be. Any objections?"

Councilman Armen rose again. "I believe that to be most acceptable, Your Majesty. Returning to the issue of the dismissed houses, though, with your permission? I think it is safe to say that House Oaken will play a large role within Arendelle from here on out. Therefore, I suggest a member of that house, be it Lady Anna or any other, be one of the replacements."

Elsa nodded. "Your proposition has been noted. I'm certain we will discuss it at great length during our next meeting."

Elsa dismissed the council, and she and Anna didn't wait for them to leave before they rose from their thrones and left the room themselves. Their arms looped together, they walked through the corridors towards Anna's chambers. They were both aware of their bodies being pressed together more closely than they had been on previous occasions, their hips swaying in tandem as Anna rested her head on Elsa's shoulder.

They didn't discuss anything that had transpired during the day. Neither the Grand Council, nor their engagement seemed important at this moment. They just wanted to enjoy each other's company for a while longer, before retiring for the night. Eventually, they reached the door to Anna's chambers.

"So, for propriety's sake, I assume this is goodbye?"

Elsa cocked an eyebrow. "Anna, propriety does not dictate that I cannot _enter_ your room. It just dictates we don't sleep together before we're married. If you want, I can come in for a little while?"

Anna nodded shyly, opening the door and ushering Elsa in. Frida and two other servants were working around the chamber.

"Frida, Tove, Alise, you can retire for today," Elsa said casually. "I'll make sure Anna doesn't run amok tonight."

One of the servants dropped the duster she had been holding as the others just stared at her in disbelief. "Y-Your Majesty?"

"Hm, yes? Is there something amiss?"

Anna giggled. "No, Elsa. They're just a little overwhelmed by the fact you know their names."

"Oh… right. I… did some research last night. I figured that if you knew your servants, there wasn't really a reason for me not to know mine. Regardless, ladies, you can leave for today."

Anna flopped down on the bed. "So does this mean you're going to draw me a bath again? Because it's been the most important topic of conversation among my servants today…"

"Most certainly, Milady." It took Elsa only a few minutes to get the bath ready for Anna, and she made sure to remain out of her way while she prepared herself for bath. When Anna had finally lowered herself into the bathtub, Elsa looked around her bedroom. She noticed several books from her library neatly placed on the reading shelf – apparently Anna had made use of the key she had been given.

When Anna finally stepped out of the bathroom over half an hour later, dressed in a green silk nightgown, she looked at Elsa. "You're still here?"

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing, Anna," Elsa rebuked immediately.

"No, no! Not at all. I just didn't think you'd wait here all this time. I figured you would have left for your own chambers by now."

"Of course I waited. I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye," Elsa explained as Anna sat down in front of the vanity and took the silver hairbrush from a drawer. With two purposeful steps, she ended up behind her, reaching out for the brush herself. "May I?"

Wordlessly, Anna handed her the brush, and Elsa started pulling it through Anna's copper hair, making sure never to pull too hard. After a few strokes, Anna closed her eyes and released a long, content hum. Elsa kept brushing for some time longer, even after all the tangles had been removed.

"I think that's as good as it gets, sunshine," she sighed eventually.

"No need to sound so sad about my hair. It's bad, but not _that_ bad."

"Your hair is perfect, Anna. Everything about you is."

"I have freckles!"

"Which are very cute…"

"Hmpf. Fine. Then why so sad?"

"I'm not sad… I just don't want to leave yet."

"Oh, you're not going anywhere until I'm asleep, moondrop…" Anna said, half-joking, half-threatening. "You could read to me?"

"Gladly."


	14. Chapter 14

**A little later than I had actually intended, but I got a little caught up in another's story, which I enjoyed a little too much (read: I've read it six times in two days, and it's a _long _one too, so yeah) so that's the reason this is a little later. Please, do forgive me. As always, I'd like to thank everyone for their incredible support. This story is becoming a lot more successful (and larger) than I had ever anticipated! Special thanks go to everyone who has left me a review - you people are seriously the best ever to exist. So, for those who didn't review, now you know what to do :3**

* * *

"Stop fidgeting, Eugene. There's nothing to worry about. It's not like Mother and Father are going to convict you for being a thief or anything. They allowed you to marry me, what are you still so afraid of?" Rapunzel asked, shooting her husband an irritated glance.

"I'm not afraid!" he replied semi-confidently. "Just anxious to know what urgent business they have to discuss this early in the morning. That's all."

That was actually a fair question, Rapunzel thought. The sun was barely out, yet her father had called them both to his chambers to discuss politics. Discussing politics was not uncommon for them, but the early hour was a little concerning. She felt herself tense a little as her parents took a seat on the couch across from them.

Her mother, of course, immediately noticed. "There's no need for you to worry, love," she assured them, nudging her husband onward.

"Of course not. We just wanted to suggest something. Ask a favor, in a way, if you will."

Rapunzel nodded. Her parents didn't ask her to get involved in politics very often, and she knew that whenever they did, it was usually out of necessity. "What is it, Father?"

"Your mother and I are worried about the war up north… Corona won't be affected, probably. We have complete faith in Queen Elsa handling the situation, especially with all the foreign help she's acquired… Still, we feel it would be prudent to keep an eye on the situation…"

There was a slight lull during which no one talked, and her father's attention was directed at the snow accumulating on the windowsill. "Your mother and I need to return home tomorrow. We can't leave the kingdom in our adviser's hands much longer… We'd like to ask you two to stay behind in Arendelle for a while. Until all of this blows over… Make sure that we get all the crucial information, command the Coronan troops assisting Arendelle… Showing our involvement to Queen Elsa…"

Rapunzel felt her husband squeezing her hand softly twice. "We can do that," she replied without hesitation, knowing that her husband agreed. Her parents looked surprised at her immediate acceptance.

"You understand that we don't know for how long this situation will last, right? You might not be able to come home for some time," her mother explained.

"We know. But our kingdom needs us to do this. Arendelle needs us. _Elsa_ needs us."

Her father nodded gravely. "Very well put, my dear. We'll discuss the arrangement with Queen Elsa later today, if she has time for us after all the announcements she'll be making today."

"Speaking of which," her mother immediately fell in, "what can you tell us about her fiancée? Besides her lack of heritage and certain reproductive parts..."

"Mom!" Rapunzel squealed. "That's none of your business!"

"Oh, come on, love. We both know how much you like to gossip. _Everyone _knows."

"Fine, fine. Elsa met her during a tour of the kingdom. She stayed at their farm, and if I'm not mistaken Anna offered her bed to Elsa, sleeping outside herself. A few weeks later she was suddenly here, at the gates, attacking a guard with a hairbrush. Elsa spent some time with her, but sent her home shortly before Yule. Merida and I had to force her to get her back here and declare her feelings. She's such a stickler sometimes, you know? She kept complaining about her being from a farming family and her being a girl…"

Her mother chuckled grimly. "Good thing you were there to help her then. Lady Anna seems like a lovely young lady for the queen."

* * *

"Stop fussing, Milady," Frida muttered for the umpteenth time. "Your hair is perfectly fine."

"I can't help it! I'm nervous, and I fuss when I get nervous!" Anna growled under her breath, making sure that only her servant would hear it. The doors to the balcony were still firmly closed, but that didn't prevent her from hearing the crowd gathering on the square below. They were _loud_.

Kai was looking over some papers near the doors, and Gerda was pacing from one end of the room to the other, making Anna even more nervous. Elsa was still to appear, having retreated to her study after the morning announcement to the castle staff. Anna couldn't blame her. Anna herself would rather hide under her bed than face the crowd gathered below the balcony.

The doors flew open with such force the entire room jumped slightly, and Elsa came pacing in quickly. She confidently walked over to Anna, giving her a chaste kiss. "You look beautiful, Anna. Are you ready to do this?"

"I just have to stand next to you, looking pretty. I can do that. Just have to make sure I don't vomit or faint. Imagine if I actually had to say something. That would end badly."

Elsa smiled encouragingly. "That's why I'll be doing the talking today."

Anna nodded, taking a deep breath. Elsa returned the motion before turning to Kai. "We're ready when you are."

Kai also nodded, looking frustratingly happy as he opened the doors and walked onto the balcony. As soon as he stepped out, the crowd below hushed. "I present to you," Kai yelled out, "Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

As soon as he was done talking and stepped aside, the crowd erupted in cheers. Elsa looped her arm through Anna's and walked onto the balcony, her queenly persona firmly in place. Anna wished she had a similar attitude, for this would be one of the moments to use it.

As soon as Elsa raised her hand, the crowd silenced again. Anna was amazed by the amount of people gathered. Sure, she knew the capital was large, and she knew there would be lots of people coming out for the announcement… But she hadn't expected to find people _everywhere_ she looked.

"Thank you, thank you!" Elsa started, her voice easily carrying across the distance, clear and steady. "Thank you for coming out, citizens of Arendelle! I feel honoured by all the goodwill you've been showing me ever since my coronation! Today, I stand before you with good news. I am certain that many of you have heard rumours concerning my supposed engagement. Now then, allow me to introduce all of you to my fiancée, Anna Oaken from Hellmark!"

Elsa paused to give the gathered crowd a chance to cheer, which they did loudly and enthusiastically. After a while, she raised her hand again, silencing them with a single motion. "Until our engagement, Anna was a commoner. Her father is a farmer. I realize this must seem strange to many of you. I also realize that many of you may find it odd for your queen to be marrying another woman. Let me just say this: Anna and I are in love. And love always finds a way. That, I think, is all that matters."

Again the crowds cheered loudly, and Anna was starting to feel a little more confident as the crowd seemed to accept her willingly. Elsa continued once she got the chance. "When the time is right, town criers will provide you with the details of our marriage. For now, however, I would ask all of you to be patient, and respect our privacy. I thank you all for your support, and bid you all a very good day!"

As they turned their backs to their audience, they started applauding and cheering yet again. Elsa resolutely walked inside, after which the doors immediately closed behind them. Once they were out of sight, Elsa's shoulders slumped as she released a long breath. "That's that."

Anna giggled. "Relieved?"

"Absolutely. Even I don't address such a large audience very often. You might have noticed that I'm not very good with people I'm not familiar with. And I do want my people to respect me, so it's important that they accept you as well."

Kai smiled kindly. "Well, Your Majesty, I think you need not worry about that. I'll approach my contacts in the city to make sure, but I believe the people are rather enthused about your engagement. The fact that Lady Oaken is not a foreign prince does not seem to matter much to them."

"Thank you, Kai," Elsa smiled. "Also, Anna will need your help in preparing for her position as Lord Chamberlain, as well as taking over my community meetings, starting next week."

"I'd be honoured to assist in any way I can."

"Are there any duties I need to attend to today?"

"Only tonight's Yule ball, Your Majesty," Kai said with a bow. "Other than that, the day is all yours."

Elsa nodded and started leading Anna out of the room. Before the door closed behind them, though, Anna turned around. "Frida, you can take a few hours off. Meet me in my chambers at four to prepare for the ball, please?"

"Of course, Milady," Frida curtsied, trailing off in the opposite direction.

Anna followed Elsa through the corridors, ensuring their bodies remained snuggled into each other as they made their way around the castle. It didn't take the redhead long to realize where they were headed, and she wasn't surprised to find Elsa unlocking the door of the library.

The library was dark, but Elsa had the fire roaring in the hearth within minutes. "I hope you don't mind unwinding here with me for a while? We have a few hours before we need to get ready for the ball, after all. We could read for a while, or take a nap?"

"Or kiss each other senseless?" Anna returned with a hopeful smile.

"That is certainly an option as well," Elsa chuckled. "We won't be disrupted here. The library is, after all, off limits for anyone but you and me."

Anna sashayed over to Elsa, who had lowered herself in one of the chairs, making sure to sway her hips as much as she could without looking ridiculous. She gave herself a mental high-five as she noticed Elsa biting her lower lip and her hands gripping the armrests of the chair tightly. She maneuvered her skirts so that she could place her knees on either side of Elsa's legs, straddling her lap, without showing off anything indecent.

Not that there was much decency concerned with this position to begin with, but Elsa _did_ say they wouldn't be disturbed. Besides, her fiancée didn't seem to mind their positioning at all, if Anna was reading the signals correctly. And there was little chance of her mistaking _that_ look.

She placed her hands on Elsa's shoulders to stabilize herself, and gently lowered her face towards Elsa's, who was already eagerly awaiting her lips. Their lips pressed together softly, fitting each other perfectly, their noses brushing against one another as Elsa tilted her head slightly. Anna pressed on, however, deepening their kiss.

Elsa brought forth a soft hum, encouraging Anna to take a little risk and nip at Elsa's lower lip. She was both surprised and delighted to find Elsa's hand cupping her face, keeping her firmly in place, rather than breaking the kiss or reigning her in. Apparently, Elsa wanted this as much as Anna.

After a while, they were forced to pull back to catch their breaths, but the respite was short-lived as Elsa immediately crashed their mouths together again, this time more forcefully than their previous kiss. Elsa wasted no time making advances this time, her tongue flicking across Anna's lips, begging for entrance. The redhead parted her lips without hesitation, allowing their tongues to meet each other for the first time, moving around and against each other in uncoordinated but passionate movements.

As their kiss continued, their mouths and tongues growing more accustomed to each other and their movements becoming more controlled, Anna felt her hands slipping away from Elsa's shoulders, down to her sides, feeling her fiancée up through the coarse material of her bodice. Despite the offending clothing, Anna felt a flutter in her stomach at the close proximity to Elsa's body.

Anna had no idea how long they continued like that, only coming apart for a fresh intake of air, their hands wandering across the other's body. At some point, Anna moved away from Elsa's mouth, trailing kisses along Elsa's jawline while Elsa's hands trailed down her back, coming dangerously close to her backside. As Elsa's hands explored the new territory, Anna started kissing down Elsa's throat.

"A-Anna!" Elsa cried out softly. "Maybe w-we should… take a break…"

Anna bolted up straight, almost giving Elsa a head-butt in the process, and took their position in as if she only just realized what was happening. "R-Right! Of course. I don't know what we were thinking. What I was thinking, I didn't mean you weren't thinking. Oh, who am I kidding! Neither of us was thinking, I think."

Elsa merely smirked at her, cocking a single eyebrow.

"Sorry," Anna muttered, blushing ferociously.

"You did nothing wrong," Elsa assured her. "We both wanted it… And it _is_ very difficult to keep my hands of my fiancée when she looks as enchanting as you."

"Can I stay in your lap, though?"

"Definitely. Although you may want to shift to sit a little more… lady-like."

Anna shifted her legs so that they both rested on one side of Elsa, allowing her to crawl up to her. "Read something for me, please?"

She felt Elsa wriggling beneath her, trying to reach the book laying on the little side table. Once she got it and opened it, Anna relaxed to the sound of Elsa's voice.

She only caught the first few sentences of the story Elsa read to her. Sleep overtook her surprisingly swift, induced by the stressful events of the day, Elsa's soothing voice, and the warmth radiating from the fire, as well as the body that was so snuggly pressed against her own.

* * *

It had stopped snowing, so Merida decided to take a walk around the castle gardens with her mother. There was something she needed to discuss, and the entire kingdom knew that her father was not actually the one in charge. No, the king made sure to obey his queen's every command. Merida didn't blame him though – Queen Elinor was one of the most frightening people she knew once she got angry.

"So, Merida," Elinor started after a while. "What is it you need of me that urged you into this sudden bout of mother-daughter bonding?"

"Why can't it just be me wanting to spend time with you, Mother?" Merida asked, puffing out her chest as her mother replied with an incredulous little laugh.

"As much as I enjoy spending time with you, there is always a good reason when _you_ come to _me_."

"Well, not this time," Merida replied politely, making sure not to sound aggravated, petulant, or anything else that might set her mother of. For this plan to work, after all, she needed her mother in good spirits.

Elinor looked at her for a few long seconds, before giving a minuscule nod and continuing their walk. After a while, Merida picked the conversation up again. "Has there been any word from DunBroch since we left for Arendelle?"

Her mother cocked her head. "Twice. Everything seems quiet, but the Lord-Steward is eager for our return. I think the stress of handling a kingdom is getting to him. Since when are you interested in politics?"

Merida chuckled darkly. "I'm not, actually. But being a princess, there's no way for me to get away from having to deal with it eventually. Might as well make the best out of it." She paused for a while. "So I'm assuming we'll set sail tomorrow?"

"Most likely, yes. Helga and Corin are also leaving for Corona tomorrow, I think."

"What about Rapunzel and Eugene?" Merida asked dumbly. She knew the answer, of course, but this was the easiest way to broach the subject she had actually wanted to address with her mother today. It was hard to believe a conversation with her mother went the way _she_ had intended, for once.

"I believe they'll stay at Arendelle as Coronan ambassadors of sorts. To keep an eye on matters here."

"Doesn't DunBroch also have a vested interest in this war?"

Elinor's face clouded over. "Everyone has a vested interest in this war, love. If Arendelle falls, the north will have free access to any kingdom they choose."

"Maybe I should stay behind here too, then. Keep you and Pa informed?"

"I won't have you fighting in a war, Merida. You're the Crown-Princess of DunBroch, for heaven's sake!" Elinor bristled.

"Who said anything about fighting? I just thought it might be smart to have someone from our kingdom here. And I'm the perfect candidate. I'm not needed back home to rule the kingdom, yet I have all the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill the functions here. Elsa and I have been friends for ages, which also helps. I _did_ have all the lessons in politics and foreign affairs, Mother. I may not have liked them much, but I did have them."

Elinor scowled for a moment, before bringing her hand to her face. "Only if you promise to stay out of trouble…"

Merida nodded solemnly. "I will. If you want, you can even take my bow with you back to DunBroch. You know I don't use any of the custom bows, so that'll prevent me from doing anything … you would deem foolish," Merida finished with a small smile.

Elinor smiled as well. "Very well, so it will be. I'm glad you're taking your position seriously, Merida."

"Yes, well. It was about time, I think. Don't you?"

Elinor merely nodded as they walked along, Merida's mind racing.

_God that could not have gone better. I'll give Mother my bow, and keep the one under my bed a secret. I'll be leading our men at the frontlines, and there's nothing she'll be able to do about it, because she'll be all the way back in DunBroch. Perfect!_

* * *

Anna had thought that, this being her third ball, she would start to get used to it by now. If anything, though, she was actually more excited than ever before, not less. Maybe it was because she'd be attending as Elsa's fiancée this time, rather than just a good friend and honoured guest. Or maybe it was because her family was here too, now? She had no idea.

Frida had helped her in a beautiful black dress adorned with white floral motifs, saying that Elsa had personally requested this dress for Anna. She had also supplied a large assortment of jewelry for Anna to choose from – most of which either featuring a crocus or a snowflake. One piece, however, had immediately been her favorite. It was a small choker made out of black cloth, from which two pendants hung on dainty silver chains – one a snowflake, the other a miniature griffin. Another silver chain connected the two symbols, and on that chain hung Arendelle's signature crocus.

Now she stood waiting in the small antechamber. From there, she and Elsa would walk onto the balcony and address the guests in the ballroom below, before joining the celebrations themselves. Well, Elsa would do all the addressing, of course. Or so she hoped, at least.

When Elsa stepped into the room a few minutes later, Anna couldn't help but thinking they were actually wearing the exact same dress. Upon closer inspection, however, that did not appear to be the case. Elsa's dress was also largely black, but featured no floral patterns, instead being covered in white snowflakes and frost patterns.

Elsa immediately wrapped Anna up in a hug, making sure not to disturb their dresses or hairdos, and gave her a quick and chaste peck on the lips. "You look stunning," she breathed softly.

"You as well, Moondrop." Anna's smile grew a little predatory when she saw Elsa frowning. She couldn't help but see the fun in the fact that Elsa hadn't found a suitable nickname for her yet, which caused her to frown or bite her lip every time Anna called her moondrop. It was adorable, really. "I like how our dresses match," she smiled sweetly.

"Good. I'm glad they have your approval. Now then, shall we?" Elsa took her arm again, looping it through her own, and walked through the doors to the small balcony. The shrill sound of a trumpet called everyone's attention, all heads in the room turning in their direction.

"Welcome, one and all, to the final night of Arendelle's Yule celebration! I hope you have all enjoyed the past few days, and have been pleased by the arrangements we've made for you all. I also hope that tonight might serve as an equally enjoyable finale of this year's Yule, and that we might see you again next year. Now, without further ado, I suggest we start enjoying ourselves, rather than listen to my ill-prepared speech," Elsa finished with a wry smile, earning several chuckles from the guests.

Elsa and Anna returned through the door they had come through mere seconds ago, quickly made their way down a small staircase – taking care not to trip on their dresses – and entered the ballroom through one of the small, barely visible doors in the back.

They were immediately confronted by on onslaught of noblemen and women who wanted to pass on their congratulations on their engagement, and they spent nearly half an hour rooted in place, shaking hands, showing off smiles and exchanging idle pleasantries, before the attention to them started to dwindle and they were free to walk around the ballroom themselves.

Anna had to suppress her giggles at seeing Asger and Kristoff, both dressed in immaculate suits, talking to the noblemen who were interested in their House, and its history. Or the lack thereof. She saw Kristoff pulling at the collar of his shirt from time to time, as if he were having trouble breathing.

"Frida," she said softly, almost a whisper, after which the girl seemed to materialize from thin air. "Could you go and tell Kristoff to stop ruining his suit, please? And see if you can make them a little more comfortable…"

Frida nodded and skipped off, dodging noblemen with a dexterity Anna could only be jealous of. Before she had much time to think about it, they were ambushed by Rapunzel and Merida. "Your Majesty, Milady," they curtsied politely, earning them a cold stare from Elsa.

"I thought we'd agreed not to curtsy to childhood friends?"

"Aye," Merida scoffed. "But you hardly act like a friend most of the time, now do ye?" she remarked playfully.

"Careful, _princess_, or I'll freeze you to the fountain."

Anna giggled. "Or I'll send Newa after you. I'm sure she'd appreciate the workout."

"Newa?" Rapunzel and Merida asked in tandem.

"Yes. My griffin. You know, the one made of ice that struts around much like her creator does from time to time?"

"Hey!" Elsa scowled, jabbing Anna in the side softly. "That's not a nice thing to say about your fiancée."

"You called it Newa?"

"Yes. I called _her_ Newa. Everything Elsa makes is female, you know…"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Newa means 'snow.' Anna got the name from a dictionary. I think she went through quite a few to find a fetching name that meant either ice or snow or something similarly chilly."

"I like it," Rapunzel declared. "It's a good name."

"Perhaps," Elsa drawled. "Now, what did you come to search me out for?"

Merida laughed again. "Such an inflated ego, thinking we're here for you. Maybe we wanted to talk to Anna?"

Elsa scowled again, but neither of the princesses seemed very intimidated. Rapunzel gave Merida a thoughtful look. "That would actually have worked out better if we _had_ been looking for Anna, don't you think? As it stands, Elsa's right, and we were actually here for her."

Anna giggled at Elsa's triumphant smile and the slumping of Merida's shoulders. "You are all so weird I sometimes wonder what I've gotten myself into," she muttered, loud enough for only the three of them to hear it.

"Yes, well, no turning back now," Rapunzel smiled sweetly. "Besides, you won't be rid of us for a while longer. That's what we actually came to tell you. Our parents have decided to let us stay in Arendelle until the entire situation up north has been resolved. To support you and keep our interests safe."

"I know. The king of Corona and Queen of DunBroch already discussed it with me on the second day of Yule."

Merida's jaw fell slack. "You mean to tell me that, after all my careful planning and deliberation, mum had already... Oh, I'm going to fire an arrow at her as soon as I get the chance."

Rapunzel giggled lightly, placing her hands on Merida's shoulders to calm her down. "Not saying that you should, but _if_ you want to bring harm to your mother, do you not think it wise to use something that is not your signature weapon?"

"Aye. Can I borrow ye frying pan?"

"Absolutely not."

The conversation continued for a while, Merida asking for weapons, and Elsa banning her from the Arendelle armories, until both princesses were whisked away by their family, and Anna and Elsa found themselves walking around again. When, after an hour or so, the band started its first song, Elsa looked at Anna expectantly.

"I thought you never danced with women if there weren't other women dancing already?"

"Well, that was before I got engaged to a woman. It'd be a little odd for me not to dance with you because of your gender. Can you imagine it? 'No, I don't dance with women. I do sleep with women, but dancing is an absolute no-go.' Besides, I think it is only proper for the Queen and her fiancée to open the first dance."

Anna giggled softly. "Let's go then."

As they were waltzing down the dance floor, Anna once again noticed all the eyes were upon them. This time, however, not with looks of disdain or confusion, but with approval and understanding. It wasn't long before others joined them, and Anna rejoiced at seeing Kristoff dancing with Frida – albeit a little clumsy. Her father seemed to be discussing something important and interesting with a group of three noblemen, looking like he was having the time of his life.

When, at the end of the first song, they left the dance floor, Anna was somewhat surprised to find Kristoff and Frida readying themselves for a second dance. She wanted to alert Elsa to it, but they were confronted by two men, looking remarkably nervous.

"Lord Leidorf, Lord Ordin," Elsa said semi-cordially. Anna's amazement at the amount of different tones in which Elsa could speak never seemed to end. Rather than speaking herself, she nodded with a shy smile.

"Your Majesty, Milady," they said with a deep bow – deeper than was really necessary – "We felt it was prudent for us to apologize for our behavior at the council meeting. We were… ignorant, biased and unnecessarily rude. We do hope there are no hard feelings."

Anna softly squeezed Elsa's arm, which had tensed up since the men started talking, in the hopes that she'd understand the meaning. Immediately after, her arm relaxed and Elsa let out a long breath. "No hard feeling indeed, good lords, as long as that works both ways. While it was not my idea, or my choice, to expel you from the Grand Council, I imagine I would have been able to prevent it if I had tried harder."

The men looked up, clearly surprised by Elsa's moderate answer. "We did not give you much reason to try and help us, Your Majesty. Now, if you'd excuse us, please."

Elsa nodded. "Certainly. Enjoy your evening, gentlemen."

They continued their walk, and before long they found themselves standing near Asger Oaken and the group of men that were still talking to him.

"No, no! You see, taxes decreasing does not help. Sometimes you can't raise the price of your produce, while the price of equipment and necessary materials keep rising. Taxes don't change that, ya? That would merely be a short-term solution to the problem, but instead we should invest in a long-term solution. Even if that does not work immediately, hm?"

"Certainly, but will farms be able to survive the time it takes for those long-term solutions to come to fruition?" one of the nobles asked, twirling the end of his moustache around his finger.

"If not, their finances weren't healthy, hm? I think my farm has reserves to last three years without our annual income, so preparation is all it takes."

"Actually, father, I think the farm could last a little longer, provided you're careful with spending the money," Anna chimed in.

All the men bowed to her, looking at her with interest. "I used to take care of the finances for Father. Well, I imagine I still do… Actually, Elsa? Can I still do that?"

"I don't see why not, if you can find the time."

"Awesome."

Elsa looked away, noticing Queen Elinor coming towards them. "Anna, I'm sure you'll be alright without me for a while, correct?"

"Of course, Elsa. Go and have some fun. No need to babysit me," Anna replied with a teasing lilt in her voice, causing Elsa to roll her eyes dramatically and mutters '_children_' under her breath.

Anna watched as Elsa walked off with the cross-looking queen, and stayed with her father for a while. After some time, though, their conversation about farming politics became dreadfully boring, spurting Anna to go and – once again – check out the table where the treats were kept.

Unlike usually, several people now curtsied or dipped their heads as she passed by them, which was still a little strange for Anna. That was swiftly forgotten due to the large quantities of chocolate that were displayed on one of the tables, and she soon found herself stuffing her face.

A hand on her shoulder caught her attention, and she turned around – discreetly wiping her face clean while doing so – to find a dashing young man standing in front of her. His face was handsome, and he wore his long, jet-black hair in a ponytail. "Milady, such a pleasure to make you acquaintance. Lord Haring of Corona, at your service," he smiled as he bowed to her.

Anna nodded her head. "Likewise, Lord Haring. What can I do for you?"

The man looked up again, his charm from before slowly turning into something more predatory. "I just wanted to remark on the sadness of this day. To have such a beautiful young woman as yourself bind herself to… someone like Queen Elsa. I do not suppose I could convince you to break the engagement, could I? I would be more than interested in taking care of you, you can be certain of that. After all, with a woman, children will not be an option. You'd be cooped up here, in this dinky old castle all the time. I can imagine that the monetary argument for marrying a queen is quite strong, but I do live comfortably myself, if I may say so."

Anna opened her mouth to tell the man to get out of her kingdom – not technically _her_ kingdom, but still – and never return, but a little throb around her finger alerted her to the fact that there was really no need.

Only seconds later, she felt a chilly hand on her bare shoulder, and an arm snaking around her waist. The air around the three of them grew chilly, although none of the other guests seemed to notice anything. Anna merely gave the man in front of her a satisfied smirk as his skin started to grow paler and his breath became visible.

"Is this man bothering you, my love?" Elsa asked with a dangerously low voice.

"Not for much longer, I think," Anna replied sweetly, her smirk still in place.

Elsa shifted her attention to the man in front of her. "I do not take kindly to anyone preying on what's mine. Lady Anna is _mine_. It would serve you well to never forget that again, Lord Haring. The consequences would be… _quite_ unpleasant."

The temperature started to return to normal just as Lord Haring's hair started growing white with frost and his lips started becoming a blueish purple. Anna cocked an eyebrow. "Is Arendelle's cold getting to you, My Lord? Maybe it would be best for you to turn in for the night."

Lord Haring barely managed to give a little nod before he started scurrying away from them. Anna turned to Elsa, who was pinching the bridge of her nose with a pained expression. "Something wrong, Moondrop?"

"I'm sorry, Anna."

"What? For what? I mean, ugh. Words. What are you sorry for?"

"I did not mean to label you as my property. It sounded a lot more crude than I intended it."

Anna quickly looked around them, but for a change nobody was paying attention to them. She laughed softly as she stepped closer to Elsa, placing her hands on her hips. "That's alright. You didn't upset me," she said. She moved her mouth closer to Elsa's ear. "Besides," she whispered throatily, "I _am_ yours, aren't I?"

She felt Elsa's breathing hitch and her muscles tense at those words, causing a teasing grin to form on her face. She pulled back and gave her a quick kiss. "Now, come on! I want to dance some more before the night ends."

Elsa followed her wordlessly, still processing Anna's whispered words. And just for a moment, Anna thought that maybe she'd accidentally broken Elsa. But then she looked back, and she saw a smile forming on Elsa's face that did not just show on her lips, but even presented itself in the sparkle of her eyes. It was one of the most radiant smiles she'd seen from Elsa so far.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello, one and all, and welcome to another installment of The Royal Commoner! I do hope that you will enjoy this chapter as much as you've enjoyed the other chapters, although I fear it is not the most enigmatic of my writings. However, many of you asked to see Anna getting used the life at Arendelle Castle, and this chapter is largely just that. Plot will resume again next chapter. It would have been in this chapter, but for reasons as of yet undisclosed, it is not.**

* * *

Elsa found herself both incredibly relieved and somewhat wistful now that the Yule celebrations had ended. While it was always a time of celebration, the accompanying pressure to perform never managed to bring her fatigue. She was looking forward for things to become normal again. Or at least, as normal as things ever were in Arendelle Castle.

Her morning had started off with a splendid breakfast, in which she was joined by Anna, and the royal families of DunBroch and Corona. This not having been an official occasion, she had neglected to mention it to any of the other foreign royals. Completely by accident, if someone were to ask.

After breakfast, they had all made their way down to the harbor, where Rapunzel, Eugene and Merida had said their goodbyes to their parents, and the young party of royals had waved them off, until their ships had been nothing but small blips on the horizon. That was when the realization that there was seven days' work waiting for her in her study had hit Elsa, and they had all made their way back to the castle.

Once she reached her study, she had helped Kai collecting all documents pertaining the castle's finances and meetings with the townspeople, ordering him to move all of those to the King's Study. Or rather, what used to be called the King's Study when it was still in use by her father. Her own study was aptly named the Queen's Study, and had always been just that, as far as she could remember, having been her mother's base of operations.

Kai would start instructing Anna in her new duties today as well, and she had made sure the Steward would pass along Elsa's invitation for a private lunch – just the two of them, for a change, whenever it suited Anna best. She knew how frustrating it could be when someone interrupted your work when you had just gotten settled, so she'd decided to leave the moment of their lunch entirely up to Anna.

Until that moment arrived, though, Elsa had plenty of work to do herself. She had neglected her duties as a queen for the duration of the Yule celebrations, arguing that she too deserved a holiday every now and again. That, however, did leave her with quite the surplus of documents that needed signing, reading or revising. Or a combination of those. Before starting on those, though, she pulled out a scrap of parchment, hastily scribbled something down, and called in a servant.

"Please bring this to Lady Anna in the King's Study as quickly as possible," she instructed him with a gentle smile, to which the boy responded with a blush and a nod.

Good. Now that she settled that, it was time to get some actual work done. She took up the first of the many closed envelopes, this one bearing the seal of the Southern Isles, and opened it with a single flick of her wrist. Her eyes skimmed along the first few lines, after which she crumpled the letter and tossed it into the bin next to her desk.

"No, I will not be marrying Hans, thank you very much," she muttered under her breath as she picked up the second letter. Before she had a chance to open it, though, her door was thrown open violently, revealing a scowling Merida.

"You betrayed me!" she grumbled loudly, throwing her arms up into the air. "You're in cahoots with me mum!"

Elsa cocked a single eyebrow, taking a little time to discern what Merida was saying exactly, her thick accent making it had to understand the complaint.

"I assure you, your mother and I are not, how did you put it? In cahoots? Hm, no, we're not in cahoots. Care to enlighten me on the situation?" she said calmly, watching as Merida dropped herself onto the couch against the wall.

"I had a perfect plan, lass! I told me mum I'd be a good ambassador for our kingdom, ye know? I did me best to convince her to let me stay back here. And then ye tell me she'd already arranged it with ye! And then I went back to me room jus' now, and I find me bloody bow on the bed with this here note attached to it!"

Merida huffed loudly as she threw the note onto Elsa's desk. The blonde queen daintily picked it up and unfolded it to read.

_My Beloved Merida – since you and I both know you will be fighting in this war no matter what, I have decided to leave you your bow. It wouldn't do for the Princess of DunBroch to fall in battle because of inadequate equipment. I trust this will also convince you that it is impossible for you to hide anything from your parents. – Queen Elinor._

The corners of Elsa's mouth quirked upwards just a little, but it was enough for Merida to notice.

"It's not bloody funny, ye hummin' hen!" she grumbled.

"I am inclined to disagree, Merida. I do find this somewhat entertaining. You should know better than to outsmart your mother. Despite that, however, I had nothing to do with this, I assure you. Now, unless you plan to throw more of a tantrum, I suggest you make yourself scarce so I can get some work done."

Merida scowled, but got up from the couch nonetheless. Just before she closed the door, Elsa called after her. "Oh, Merida. If you want to solve the mystery that is your mother, perhaps talk to Rapunzel? I find she's generally rather well-informed. Perhaps a little too much so."

Merida didn't acknowledge Elsa's comment, but she was sure the redhead had heard her. She returned her attention back to the letter still in her hand, opening it, she sighed wearily as her eyes focused on the document.

_Duchy of Weselton – Trade agreement – Final revision_

_I, Duke Theodor IV of Weselton, declare that the Duchy of Weselton will deliver…_

Elsa's mind quickly wandered off as she read the rest of the document without paying too much attention. After the events of the war council, she had half a mind to annul all trade relations with Weselton. She made a mental note to ask her advisers whether that would be an actual option, dropping the trade agreement onto the armoire behind her. She'd deal with that later.

The next document bore the mark of Queen Ariel of Denmark, a mermaid of blue wax, and Elsa already knew what it would contain. Ariel had written it during her stay in Arendelle, and had already informed Elsa about its contents verbally. She quickly skimmed the document to make sure she was correct, though. Surely enough, the document detailed the actions Denmark would undertake to secure the seas beyond their northern borders.

While, during the war council, they had determined no one would be able to cross the rough waters to the north, Queen Ariel had later approached Elsa. She had expressed her concerns – after all, who knew the possibilities when magic was involved – and had suggested a limited contribution to Arendelle's war, instead opting to secure the improbable but not impossible route across the sea. Elsa, seeing the logic behind the concerns, had readily agreed.

Not seeing the use in holding on to the piece of correspondence, the letter quickly joined the other one in the paper bin. The next two envelopes conveyed the congratulation letters from kingdoms and duchies that had not been present at the celebrations. While much appreciated, these too ended up in the bin, although Elsa did make a note to have one of her scribes write them the standard reply.

She sighed at the amount of paperwork still waiting for her, suddenly feeling eternally grateful for Anna's assistance. The poor girl would be dealing with the aftermath of Yule – all the records and invoices of the celebrations fell under her domain now, and while Elsa felt sorry for her, she was also incredibly relieved at not having to deal with all of that as well.

She looked at the clock near the window, urging it to go faster with her eyes. If only lunch time came around soon, she'd have something to look forward to. Only then did Elsa realize she had no idea at what time it would be lunchtime today. So, with another deep sigh, she returned her attention back to her desk.

* * *

Anna was thoroughly impressed. Yes, she had told Elsa that she wanted to help, and that she wanted to take the load off of her administrative duties. But when she had said that, she had not expected to get a study of her own. Let alone the King's Study, which was actually larger than the study Elsa usually occupied.

She sat in the comfortable, straight-backed chair behind her enormous mahogany desk with a grand total of five drawers. Everything had been prepared for her, it seemed. Kai had brought all of the relevant paperwork here, which now lay in a precariously high stack on the corner of her work space, and there was an abundance of quills, inkwells, stamps, ink pads and other materials one might expect to find in their study. Apparently, Elsa had also taken the liberty of ordering more griffin-seals, because she noticed three of them, patiently waiting to be used.

Kai pulled up a chair – where it had come from Anna couldn't tell – and placed it on Anna's side of the desk, sitting down with eager excitement. "Now then, Milady, are you ready to learn the ropes?"

Anna rolled her eyes playfully. "Just call me Anna when we're alone, please?"

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, Milady. A servant needs to keep his position in mind, and you are, after all, my superior."

Anna nodded reluctantly. "Fine. I guess I'll just have to get used to it then… Now, what exactly are my duties, again?"

Kai smiled sweetly. "Well, what it comes down to is this. You are now officially responsible for all of the castle's expenses. Servant and guard wages, maintenance costs for the castle and the surrounding grounds, the funds needed for a steady supply of food and drink, for both the royal family, the servants, and the animals such as the horses and carrier pigeons. You're also responsible for furniture commissions, acquisition of decorations or other non-essentials. You have the power to refurnish and re-purpose any space within the castle as you see fit."

"That's… a lot," Anna muttered, somewhat daunted by the responsibilities Elsa had entrusted to her. "Good thing I have you here to help me."

"Indeed, Milady. For that is only half of it. You're also responsible for taking the meetings with the townspeople, the first one being this afternoon, to listen to their problems, their needs, their issues, and see whether the Crown can be of any assistance. You'll then have a meeting with Queen Elsa to discuss the results of these meetings, and the two of you can decide on an appropriate course together."

"Right. But that's after lunch, so let's not fret over that now… Help me get the hang of this first," she smiled, already starting to feel tired. She didn't mind the work so much as minding the learning of it.

"Very well. This book here contains the full balance of Arendelle Castle's finances," Kai grunted as he heaved a massive book onto the desk. Anna carefully opened it, finding only the first four pages to be in use. Kai smiled sheepishly. "We've recently started in this tome. All of the previous tomes can be found in the archives in the West Tower, should you ever need to reference them."

At first, Anna's head started spinning from the sheer amount of numbers cramped onto a single page, but after peering at it for a few minutes, she started to make some sense of it. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Kai, but these numbers in the margin are the overall amount of money we have available?"

"That is correct."

"And then these numbers are additions and detractions, yes?

"Indeed, Milady."

"And this clearly indicates the date – which leaves only this here," she muttered, pointing at a column with series of random letters and numbers.

"Ah yes," Kai smiled gently. "Each of these codes refers to a certain invoice, bill or something similar. Every piece of documentation relating to this ledger will be delivered here." Kai reached over the desk, taking one of the pieces of paper from the pile and opening it on the desk. "Right, so this is the invoice regarding the servants' wages over the past month," Kai explained patiently. "See this white line here? That's where you can write down the code – you can either choose to follow Queen Elsa's coding system, or start using your own. You write the code down on this invoice, and add it to the ledger as well. That way, the documentation pertaining to a certain transfer of gold can always be traced."

Anna nodded. That made perfect sense, so far. Only… "Kai? Do you have any idea how Elsa's system works?"

"Afraid not, Milady," he chuckled awkwardly. "I've always been convinced it's a series of random numbers and letters, although Queen Elsa seems to understand it better than I do."

"Then I'll use my own system, because like you, I can't really make sense of these codes," Anna grinned. "So, provided I want to pay the servants, I take this number, and detract it from the total marked in the ledger, correct?"

"Yes indeed."

"And then what?"

"Then you make sure the codes correspond with each other."

Anna quickly thought up a logical way of coding the documents, coming up with a simple code consisting of the date, year, and a number to indicate which document of that day. Kai nodded approvingly as she wrote it down on the invoice, as well as the ledger.

"Very well, Milady. Now you'll need to sign the invoice, fold it, seal it, and at the end of the day, send everything to the Lord Treasurer. He will then make sure that everyone gets what you ascribed to them."

"Seems easy enough," Anna smiled, incredibly relieved. Come to think of it, this was actually not all that different from the work she used to do at the farm. Sure, there was more documentation, more expenses and sources of income, and the amounts of money she was handling now were much larger than what she was used to, but the basic principle was more or less the same.

Which gave birth to her next thought. "Kai? I assume the balance in this ledger is in accordance to the actual amount of gold in the vaults?"

"I'm not entirely sure I understand what you mean, Milady?"

"Well. How certain are we that this number," she pointed at the overall balance indicated in the ledger, "is the actual amount of gold that we have at our disposal?"

Kai hesitated for a moment. "Well, truth be told… It has been many years since the gold in our vaults was counted and weighed, really. Not under Queen Elsa's reign, and quite frankly, I can't recall King Agdar doing so either."

Anna nodded slowly. "I see. Then my first order as Lord Chamberlain of Arendelle Castle is to do just that. I can't work with these numbers if I'm not absolutely certain they are correct, can I?"

Kai nodded in agreement. "That does seem a wise course of action. What do you suggest?"

"Could you form a team of twenty servants? Trusted, long-standing servants, that is. They'll be allowed access to the vaults with my express permission, and will be tasked with tallying the fortune."

"Most certainly."

"I also want ten guards at the doors whenever anyone is in the vault. At least two of them should be ranking officers – again, only the most trusted men will qualify for the job. Anyone coming out of the vaults will need to be searched thoroughly. That should ensure no one pilfers anything."

"A very prudent decision, I would think," Kai smiled congenially. "This entire operation will take some time, though," he frowned.

"I'm well aware. But it will still need to be done. Could we tell the Lord Treasurer to hold off on any payments until it is done, with the exception of the absolute necessities?"

"I think we should be able to work something out, yes. Shall I go and make the arrangements immediately?"

"Yes please."

"Very well. I shall return as quickly as my duties allow, then."

With Kai now having left her to her own devices, Anna started sifting through the invoices that were stacked, separating them in three different stacks: 'absolutely need to be paid,' 'discuss with Kai,' and 'I really don't think we should spend money on this.' The bills for the wine consumed during Yule went on the first, a request for funds to acquire a new painting for the gallery was placed on the third – seriously, who would pay _that_ much gold for a painting? – the acquisition of three new horses would need to be discussed with Kai.

When, after a few minutes, there was a knocking at her door, she was progressing nicely. "Come in," she called, hoping her voice was loud enough to carry through the sturdy oak door. And apparently it was, because it opened, and a boy – no more than thirteen years of age – gingerly stepped in.

"I bring a letter from Queen Elsa for Lady Anna," he muttered shyly, his face nearly as red as Anna's hair.

"That would be me," Anna smiled, her smile growing even wider when she took the note from the boy. "Thank you very much."

The boy nodded and left her alone again. Anna unsealed the piece of parchment, coming face to face with Elsa's impeccable handwriting.

_Funding request from Queen Elsa of Arendelle to the Lord Chamberlain, Lady Anna of House Oaken. _

_Regarding: acquisition of furniture._

_Now that I am officially engaged to Lady Anna of House Oaken, the throne room will need to be fitted with a second throne. My only specification is that it should be somewhat smaller than the throne already present. Model and decorations will be decided upon by Lady Anna._

Anna smiled to herself, placing the note to her right, separate from all the other pieces of documentation. It took Kai only thirty minutes to return to the study, looking altogether entirely pleased with himself. "The inventory of the royal vaults is set to begin within the hour, Milady," he said during his short curtsy. "Now, shall we continue our work?"

"Yes, let's," Anna said, reaching for the note Elsa had sent. "Elsa wants me to commission a new throne. How do I do that?"

Kai's smile grew wider still. "I suppose that would make sense, indeed." He opened a drawer, pulling out a smaller book. "This is your address book. It contains contact information for carpenters, cooks, merchants, dressmakers, city officials, blacksmiths, and anyone else you might possibly need to fulfill your duties." He opened it, turning a few pages and pointing out a name and address. "Heinrich Gustavson made the throne that is currently in the throne room – Elsa had it commissioned shortly after her inauguration. I would suggest contacting him, setting a meeting to discuss the work that needs to be done."

Anna took a blank sheet of paper, pulling a quill and inkwell to herself as well, and started writing.

_Master Gustavson,_

_If it would not be too much of an inconvenience on your part, I would like to invite you to meet me at Arendelle Castle as soon as your schedule allows. In light of the recently announced engagement of Queen Elsa, the Crown has need of your services._

_Please send your reply along with the servant that delivered this message – she will ensure that I receive it post-haste._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Lady Anna of House Oaken, Lord Chamberlain,  
_

_Duchess of Hellmark, Countess of the West, Baroness of Arendelle_

She folded the document neatly, sealing it with her signature griffin-seal, and placing it within sight. "I'll have Frida deliver that message when she comes to collect me for lunch."

She and Kai continued their work for a while longer, Kai often remarking on Anna's inherent ability to determine what would be good or bad spending habits. He agreed that it wouldn't do for them to spend copious amounts of gold on paintings or sculptures, or other frivolities. Once the stack of waiting documents was dwindled down to a more moderate size, Anna turned towards the steward.

"Tell me, Kai. Can I rename this room in the castle? Because, if this is my study, it's a little silly to keep calling it the King's Study, isn't it?"

Kai moved his head backwards, his hand cupping his cheek. "Yes, I suppose that would not make much sense. What would you prefer to call it, then?"

"How about plain and simple, Anna's Study?"

"No, that wouldn't do. Servants are, after all, not allowed to call you by your first name."

"Right. Oaken Study, then? Would that be okay?"

Kai thought about it for a moment, before slowly nodding. "Yes. That I can arrange."

"That would be magnificent. Then I have only one more request for you right now. Could you go and tell Elsa I'm just about ready for lunch?"

* * *

It was only half an hour later when Anna found herself in one of the castle's many drawing rooms. Elsa had decided that this would be one of the best places for a private lunch for the two of them, sitting in the sun that came through the large window, their food splayed out over the small table between them.

Anna kept marveling at their hands. Each time the two of them would both have one hand free, they would immediately join, their fingers interlacing or drawing lazy patterns on their palms. The entire lunch was so ridiculously peaceful, Anna came to the quick realization that she could get used to a life like this. Not a problem at all.

"So, how's your work been going this morning?" Elsa asked with a small smile, taking a sip from her tea.

"Awesome! Though you won't be getting any new paintings for a while."

"I've never cared much for those one way or another, really. I heard you sent servants downstairs to do an inventory on the vaults?"

"Oh, yes. Right. I did. I hope that's okay?"

"Of course it is, Bonfire. It's your responsibility, and frankly, I'm unsure why I didn't have someone do so myself yet."

"Wait, wait! Did you just call me 'bonfire,' because I'm not sure I'm okay with that…"

Elsa smiled sheepishly. "Yes, well… I'm still trying to come up with a good name for you. Clearly, this one didn't work out."

Anna gave Elsa's hand a gentle squeeze, moving forward to quickly kiss her cheek. "Give it time, Moondrop. It'll come to you in time."

After a few minutes of silent eating and drinking, Elsa looked up again. "Did you receive my request for your throne, by any chance?"

"Of course I did," Anna immediately responded, putting her piece of toast down on her plate again. "I've sent word to Gustavson – the carpenter that made your throne – to arrange a meeting to discuss the specifics of the deal. I should hear back from him later today."

"My, my, you're quite an effective worker, aren't you?"

"I have large shoes to fill," Anna replied with a wink.

Elsa was about to answer when a hesitant knock interrupted them. The door opened a crack, revealing one of Elsa's servants.

"I had asked not to be interrupted," Elsa sighed.

"I am aware, Your Majesty, but Prince Hans has requested to breach your lunch-appointment with Lady Anna."

"Show him in, then," Elsa muttered with a faint smile, showing her servant that she wasn't cross.

Hans, generally the epitome of style and grace, was hardly recognizable as he stepped into the drawing room. He had a long black cloak hanging from his shoulders, practically frozen stiff, and his red hair was still filled with snow. His eyebrows appeared somewhat frosted as well, making it appear as if he was actually blond.

"I see you have returned," Elsa giggled, waving her hand to remove the snow and ice.

"Thank you," he smiled winsomely. "And indeed, I have. I pity the men that are still mulling around that mountain to find your temple. So far there's been no sign of it, I'm afraid. I am starting to think it might not actually exist."

Elsa frowned slightly. "Does that mean you suggest stopping the search?"

"No, not yet, I would think," Hans sighed. "There's still some nooks and crannies to be discovered, I'm sure. Give it a few more days before calling it off, I'd say."

"Very well then. It's all up to you. If you don't think there's anything to gain, you have my permission to call everyone back."

"Thanks sis," Hans smiled charmingly. "Also, I'm terribly sorry for not having been around to see the two of you being all lovely with each other. And no, there's absolutely no need to thank me. Though, if you're so inclined, I suppose I wouldn't mind."

"Thank you? For what?" Elsa sputtered, Anna merely looking from one face to the other.

"Well, for bringing you together of course. We all know that, without my expert interference, nothing would ever have happened! Sure, Rapunzel and Merida helped a little, but I think it is safe to say I did most of the work."

Elsa scowled slightly. "I'm really starting to regret defrosting you just now…" she grumbled.

Hans raised his hands in defeat. "And that's my cue to leave the two of you alone again."

Before either of them could contradict him, Hans had already left the drawing room. Anna shot a quick glance at the clock, heaving a deep sigh. "Well, Moondrop, as lovely as this has been, I'm afraid I'm expected in a meeting soon. I assume I will see you at dinner?"

Elsa followed Anna's example, rising from her chair, and quickly walked over to her, wrapping her arms around her waist. "You can count on that." Their heads moved together, and Anna hummed contently as their lips met in a chaste kiss. Once they moved apart again, she grinned mischievously. "One more for on the road?"

They shared another kiss, their lips lingering together slightly longer than before. "Hm, just one more, perhaps?" Anna purred sweetly. Elsa immediately obliged.

"I think I could use another one, Elsa. It'll be a while before we see each other again, after all…"

All in all, it took them fifteen more minutes before they finally left the drawing room, finding a throng of servants waiting for them, most of the them followed Elsa towards the throne room, leaving Anna with Frida and another servant.

"Milady," Frida started. "Master Gustavson requested his meeting be held tomorrow afternoon, around tea time, if possible. He also asked me to pass along his congratulations on your engagement, and his appreciation for the Crown's continued patronage. This is one of his apprentices. If these arrangements are to your liking, he will carry word back to the workshop."

"Tea time tomorrow sounds marvelous," Anna responded readily, after which the apprentice nodded, curtsied, and ran off. Frida looked at him for a while, before returning her attention to Anna. "Milady… Kai has asked me to escort you to the meeting room. I was wondering if you had need for me during the meeting?"

As they started walking down the corridors, Anna cocked her head to the side. "No, I would think not. You're free to go and show Kristoff around town. Just try and make sure you return before dinner, please."

"Milady? How did you…?"

"Princess Rapunzel overheard the two of you before breakfast. She thought it was cute, so she told me."

Having reached the door to the meeting room, Anna turned around briefly. "Go, have fun. I'll manage just fine on my own."

"Thank you."

* * *

Anna made her way into the meeting room, immediately noticing which seat was meant for her. The table in the center was lined with wooden chairs with straight backs, but there was one chair that was larger, and decorated with red cushions. Kai was already seated on the chair next to hers. "Lady Anna. I trust lunch was a pleasant occasion?"

"Very much, Kai. Thank you," Anna smiled in return.

"Good. The townspeople should be here momentarily. We'll be meeting with the Merchant's Guild only today, so it shouldn't be too much to handle."

"Awesome. Do they know they'll be meeting with me, rather than Elsa?"

"They have been informed of the changes, yes."

A knock on the door signaled the arrival of the merchants, and at Anna's beckoning, guards opened the double doors to allow them to enter. There were five men and a single woman, each of whom carried a stack of papers with them. Some of them smiled at her encouragingly, while others completely ignored her, instead focusing on finding their seat and rummaging through their papers.

"Good afternoon," Anna started cheerfully. "My name's Anna. I imagine you were aware of that. I'll be handling our meetings from now on, although I suppose you were also aware of that already. Well, I'm quite new at this – I'm not really used to holding a power position or anything, so I was hoping we could ease into things a little today."

The only other female in the room smiled kindly. "I'm certain you will perform outstandingly, Milady. After all, Queen Elsa has appointed you to your position herself. Her Majesty knows what she's doing."

One of the older men nodded diligently. "I do agree to that indeed. Besides, Yuletide having ended yesterday, I do not think any of us will have much to complain about. With all the visitors to the capital, both foreigners and Arendellians alike, business has been quite good."

Anna smiled as she looked at her papers. "I'm quite glad to hear that. Before we start addressing your issues, there's a slight issue I would like to raise myself. Having been appointed as Lord Chamberlain of Arendelle Castle, I have ordered a full tally be held on the royal vaults. As such, the royal fortune is frozen until the inspection has been completed. Which means we will not be able to pay any of the bills we've received for a few more days still."

The merchants all started sifting through their papers, and Kai shot Anna a supportive look that clearly indicated she was doing well. Frankly, Anna expected the merchants to throw a tantrum over the money owed to them, but she had decided to bring it up straight away nonetheless.

There were some murmurs among the merchants before the eldest of them turned towards Anna and Kai. "Provided this count will not take longer than a week, and the bills will be paid as swiftly as possible afterwards, the merchant's council does not see any reason to object. After all, we all benefit when the Crown ensures their fortune is in order."

Anna nodded happily. "I'm glad we're in agreement on that. You have my word that you will have the money we owe you as soon as possible. Now then, shall we move on to address your own concerns?"

One of the men cleared his throat, placing his papers down. "It appears there are still a few invoices that have not been fulfilled yet. Queen Elsa sent out word to all merchants in town that any purchases made by Princesses Rapunzel and Merida, as well as yourself, would be paid for by the Crown. While, so far, she has been faithful to this promise, it appears a list of purchases from the Crown Princess of DunBroch have not yet been paid for. It concerns several bottles of liquor, total value twenty-seven gold pieces, new riding boots worth ten gold pieces, two new dresses, total worth forty-"

Anna raised her hand to interrupt the man, who was droning on, clearly reading the amounts off of his list. "Would you mind handing me the list? I will ensure that it is brought to Queen Elsa's attention. I happen to know that these purchases will be paid for from her personal vault, so the tally in the Crown's vaults should not hinder these payments."

The man handed her the list with a curt nod, apparently pleased with Anna's solution. There was a short bout of unrest among the council, before the woman turned towards Anna again. "Milady, as far as we are concerned, we only have one more issue to discuss today. Arendelle is famous for its winter, and snow is rather a common occurrence this time of year. Up until now, it has always been the duty of the merchants who keep stalls in the marketplace to clear the area of fallen snow and ensure no one slips on ice or something like that."

Anna grinned wickedly – that explained the unrest among the men in front of her. Amusing as it was, she determined it would probably be best to appease them somewhat. "I see. I understand that, given Queen Elsa's abilities, bringing up complaints about the snow in the marketplace might not sit quite well with you. However, you need not worry. As much as she loves winter and cold, she loves the people more. What is it you would ask of us?"

"Milady, if it is not too much asked, we were wondering whether the Crown could provide guards or servants to assist in keeping the marketplace cleared."

Anna quickly scribbled a note to herself, reminding her to ask Elsa about this, before looking up at the expectant faces again. "I do think we should be able to arrange something. I will discuss it with Queen Elsa at the earliest opportunity, and make sure you are all informed of the decision whenever it's made. Now then, was there anything else?"

"Nothing, Milady. Like we said, Yuletide is generally a good time for the merchants of Arendelle."

"Very well then. You may take your leave."

Once all the merchants had left, Kai whistled softly. "That went considerably better than any of the meetings I can recall."

"I was about to ask whether it was always this easy, but I assume that means it isn't?"

Kai chuckled softly, apparently forgetting his station somewhat – Anna found she didn't mind at all – as he responded: "Let's just say it would be best if you do not get used to it."

Anna nodded slowly, before an idea suddenly hit her. "Kai, the tally in the vaults is currently going on, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"I'd like to go and have a look, please."

* * *

Kai silently escorted Anna down several flights of stairs, eventually coming down to a wide corridor that led to the underground vaults. The corridor was, as per Anna's orders, filled with guards, who looked rather more attentive than she would have expected them to. The large steel doors were slightly ajar, the clinging and jingling sound of metals coming from inside.

"If there would be nothing else, Milady?" Kai curtsied.

"No, you're free to go and see to your other duties."

Anna nodded at the guards – all of them at least three times her age – and slipped through the vault door, coming face to face with a large group of aged servants, sitting on the ground or on wooden chairs that looked wholly out of place, counting coins, weighing bars, and documenting findings. They appeared to be so busy they didn't even notice Anna.

After she had ensured that they were indeed working as fast as was humanly possible, Anna left the vault again, walking down the corridor towards the stairs. As soon as she placed her foot on the first step, she turned around again, clearing her throat audibly.

"Milady?" one of the guards asked.

"I am under the impression that you were ordered to search everyone leaving the vault."

"That is correct, Milady."

"Then why have I not been searched?"

"You're high nobility, Milady. It would be scandalous for any guard to insinuate that-"

"Being high nobility, I'm in a splendid position to move in and out of the vault whenever I please, taking whatever I please in the process. I gave the order for _everyone_ to be searched upon leaving here. That includes high nobility. That includes royalty. And that includes _me._

One of the older guards hesitantly nodded, moving forward to search Anna thoroughly, ensuring she hadn't taken anything from the vault. Anna also nodded, satisfied with their performance, and turned around again, quickly ascending the stairs. About halfway up, she heard one of the guards commenting below her.

"She's something else, isn't she?"

The comment brought a sly smile to Anna's face. Especially since it did not at all sound like a negative comment.

* * *

**Well, that's that. I do hope you found the chapter at least somewhat enjoyable. If all goes as planned, the next chapter should have more Elsanna fluff and plot, so if that's what you found lacking here, rest assured. Also, taking a little moment to advertise myself a little: I've recently started a new story (_Eating Habits_) which you might want to check out if you enjoy my writing. I am ever so aware that it isn't everyone's cup of tea, so to speak, but I wanted to bring it to your attention nonetheless.**

**Now, if it is not too much to ask, would you please be so kind to leave a review for me? That would be simply delightful.**


	16. Chapter 16

**It has certainly been a while, but here's the new chapter. If you haven't read the new chapter of Creative Writing, or the one-shot "Dawn of a Dream" I published a little while back, I'll just say it again here: Life has been crazy, I've moved, had a promotion, writer's block and some laptop-issues, and I am really really sorry for the delay all of that has caused. I'm back now, though, and I do hope you will all enjoy what I have cooked up.**

**I had something else that I wanted to say, but I believe I've forgotten.**

* * *

Elsa eyed the clock warily. Something had to be wrong, because this was an all-time first. All of her work was done for today, and she still had at least half an hour to spare before she would meet Anna for their afternoon trip.

She got up from her desk and left her study, making sure to lock the door behind her, still thinking about that very trip. Anna had asked to take a long stroll with her after she'd be done with her work for today – estimating that she should have plenty done by lunch time. And while Elsa was rather looking forward to it, she did not at all enjoy not knowing what the bubbly redhead had planned.

She had attempted to coax it out of her, but to no avail. Even bribery with kisses hadn't helped, which meant that Anna _really_ wanted to keep the surprise. And that was alright. Or so Elsa kept telling herself, because not being in control of a situation always tended to make her antsy.

Hoping to keep her mind off of that predicament, she started making her way towards the vaults, intending to see how the tally was going. Halfway there, though, she encountered Rapunzel, followed by two handmaidens. All three of them had their arms laden with items. At first glance, Elsa noticed at least three dresses, a hairbrush, several coin purses, a sparkling jewelry box and a pair of brown lady's boots.

"What in Odin's name are you doing, Punzel?" Elsa asked incredulously.

"Oh, Elsa! Nothing, really. Just collecting on the debts owed to me. I should thank you and Anna for all of this, actually! Hans bought me these dresses, and two of the coin purses came from him too. He was certain you wouldn't get engaged until _after_ Yule. Then we have Merida's hairbrush and these charming boots, because she was convinced you wouldn't get engaged for at least a month. Another coin purse from Belle, along with several books that will be shipped to Corona from France. Oh wait, maybe I should write her a letter and tell her to bring them back to Arendelle when she returns. That would make more sense."

Elsa gently interrupted her. "Exactly how many of you had a bet going on?"

Rapunzel giggled slightly, gesturing her handmaidens to keep moving. "I don't think I should answer that. Let's just say pretty much everyone was involved in some form of gambling during Yule. Even the guards and servants. Amongst themselves, of course, but they were betting too."

"Well, I do hope you enjoy your spoils, Punz, because there won't be an opportunity like that for a while again."

"Of course there will be. Now people are discussing when you'll get married, who of you will wear the dress, what flavor of cake you'll choose. Though, no one wants to bet with me anymore, which is a bit of a shame. Eugene says it's because they're sore losers, and that I should just leave them be."

"Eugene is a smart man, Rapunzel. Perhaps you should listen to him?"

"Of course I listen to him. That's why I have him betting in my stead. That way we'll both win!"

Rapunzel giggled heartily before taking her leave, humming a happy tune as she skipped along the corridor. Elsa stood motionless for a while, watching her best friend go, before remembering where she had been headed.

Ten guards were standing guard outside the vault, and Elsa was glad Anna had taken the necessary precautions. There were lots of things that could go wrong when the vault doors were opened, and problems weren't really anything the kingdom could use at the moment.

The servants inside the vault quickly curtsied, before returning to their diligent counting and weighing, hardly sparing their queen a second glance. Apparently, Anna had made the urgency of their task quite clear, since there was no chatting, gossiping, or other idle business going on. Satisfied with what she saw, she turned outside again.

She had only taken three steps when she was suddenly stopped by one of the guards. "I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty, but I need to ensure nothing was taken from the vault," he said, his voice unsteady. "I'll need to search you."

"Me?" Elsa asked, her brows shooting up towards her hairline.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Lady Anna ordered that no one, not even herself, was exempt. She was quite adamant that even royalty would need to be searched upon leaving the vault."

Elsa looked at the guard without showing her emotions, but on the inside she couldn't repress her smile. That did indeed sound like something Anna would do. And rightly so, really. After all, how many kings and queens hadn't there been who brought doom upon their kingdom for selfish gains?

"Very well, then. But please make it quick."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

* * *

"Seriously, Anna… Where are we going? If you keep this up, we'll get lost, never return to the castle, and they'll have to send out search parties to retrieve us," Elsa complained for the umpteenth time. She had been fine with taking a walk with Anna, but her redheaded fiancée was leading her further and further into the woods.

"You're being over-dramatic, Your Majesty," Anna said with a wicked gleam in her eyes, performing a mock-curtsy while walking backwards. "And I find it hard to believe you _still_ don't know where I'm taking you!"

Elsa sighed, rolling her eyes as she kept Anna from walking into a tree. "Love, we're in the middle of the forest by now. There's nothing here to take me to. You know that, right? I've studied maps of my kingdom for years. There's just trees and rocks around here. Nothing that we didn't see in the first ten minutes of our walk."

Anna stopped walking rather abruptly, Elsa almost bumping into her as she shot her a measured glance. "You mean you really don't know?"

"Don't know what, Anna?"

"That's… strange." Elsa waited for a further explanation, but when nothing came, she sighed. "Are we at least almost there?"

"We are, actually," Anna muttered, still deep in thought as she started walking again.

Elsa gritted her teeth, but decided that any further complaints about Anna's folly would hardly help the situation, so she kept quiet as they trudged on further. Sure enough, after a few more minutes, the forest became less dense, eventually revealing a spacious clearing. And Elsa could hardly believe her eyes.

Anna did not at all seem surprised, skipping over to the center of the clearing without even looking back at Elsa. The Queen of Arendelle stood frozen at the edge of the tree line, watching mutely as a giant wolf made of ice walked up to her and nudged her towards Anna with its snout.

Anna, meanwhile, was hugging Newa the Griffin while a few smaller animals – all made out of ice – hopped around her feet. Before she could fathom what was happening, she was standing right beside Anna, surrounded by her icy creations.

"What are they all doing here? How did they get here?"

Anna looked at the blonde with surprise. "You mean to say you didn't send them here?"

"Not consciously, no." Elsa frowned slightly as she scratched her bear behind its ears. "How did you even know they were here?"

"I felt them leaving the castle a few nights back. They didn't like being cooped up in the courtyard, and it was really misty, so I figured you had sent them into the forest. I could feel their presence here all the way from my room, probably because there are so many of them in one place. Newa has been trying to bring me here for a while now."

Anna was patting Newa's beak, looking at Elsa with some unspoken question in her eyes. The blonde shook her head slightly. "I had no idea about any of this. It seems you're more in touch with my magic than I am. Odd as that might sound."

Anna shrugged slightly as more and more icy creatures begged for her attention. "I don't know about you, but nothing surprises me anymore. After all, without me, these poor things would either have been bumping into walls, or they would have gone savage and killed half the city, right? Maybe it's not that strange I am more in touch with them than you."

Elsa cocked her head to the side. "You're forgetting that without me, they wouldn't even be moving." Much to Elsa's surprise, Anna actually started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Elsa, without you they wouldn't even exist, remember?"

"Right. You actually have a valid point there."

"No need to sound so surprised, Moondrop. It does happen from time to time, you know?"

"Speaking of valid points, I got searched by one of my guards earlier today," Elsa said with a stern face, suppressing a smile as Anna's cheeks started to flush red. "He said you had ordered him to?"

"Yes, I did. Well, not you specifically, of course. I know you'd never steal. But I told them to search everyone leaving the vaults. You and me included… Sorry?"

"I think it was a good idea."

"Like I said, I didn't mean to- Wait, what? You do?"

"Of course," Elsa smiled warmly. "Can't be too careful, right?"

Anna was about to respond, but was interrupted by a strong shove in her back, launching her forwards into Elsa's arms. The pair frowned at the icy horse that had delivered the push, which now appeared to be utterly pleased with itself, galloping around the clearing. Elsa looked down at Anna, who looked confused. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I just don't get why she would do that?" she muttered as she took a step back again, creating some distance between the two of them. Before Elsa could come up with a response, Anna was resting in her arms again, this time urged forward by a panther, which kept staring at them intently.

"Is it just me…"

"… or do they really want us to be close?" Anna finished Elsa's sentence, smiling at the flock of small birds whirling around them. "Why would that be?"

"I haven't a clue. I do hope Hans and his men find the temple soon. There are so many questions that we just cannot answer without an expert…"

Anna giggled softly. "Maybe we should ask Belle's court magician?"

Elsa chuckled at the memory of the fraud. "Oh, sure. I'm certain he'd be indispensable in figuring all of this out." There were a few minutes of silence, the two women simply enjoying their hug. "This is nice," Elsa muttered eventually.

"It is, isn't it? The animals seem to agree. They're happy we're here."

"Yes… I feel it too…"

"Elsa, I've been thinking about something. A while back, I bought a book filled with images of mythical beings. I was wondering if you could create some for me?"

"Anything for you, Heatwave."

"… Okay, maybe you should just stop your search for nicknames. They're not getting any better… In fact, this is the worst one yet," Anna teased, sticking her tongue out.

"Don't disrespect your queen, Duchess," Elsa proclaimed haughtily. "I'll have you know I can call you whatever I want."

Anna broke the embrace, after which she immediately had to dodge another attempt at driving the two women together. Once she reached her bag and started rummaging through it, though, they left her alone. Anna pulled a large tome out of the satchel with a triumphant cry, and opened it on a random page. "Elsa, can you do a unicorn?"

Elsa walked over to Anna, careful not to step on any of the smaller creations, and took a look at the picture for inspiration. "That shouldn't be too difficult." Surely enough, in hardly a minute, the newest addition to the icy family whinnied proudly, immediately making its way to the horse when Anna removed her hand from its flank.

"I think they're sisters," Anna smiled with a spark in her eyes. "They look very much alike."

Elsa grinned cheekily. "Well, that _was_ to be expected if you ask me to make a horse and a horned horse, sweetheart."

"Fair enough," Anna smiled, turning the page of her book. "Now can you do an Undine?"

"An Un-whatnow?"

"Here, look. It's a mythological water nymph. Sort of like a mermaid, but without the fishtail!"

Elsa stared at the picture for a while, looking at a blue-skinned woman with fish-like attributes. "Hm, if that's what you want, that will be what you get," Elsa said, closing her eyes in concentration. When she opened her eyes again, an exact copy of the image in the book stood before her, Anna already having her hand in hers. Elsa cocked her head sideways, smiling as the icy woman mirrored the action.

"Do you think she can talk?" Anna asked suddenly.

"I doubt it. I didn't make her with vocal cords in mind, at least…"

"Well, doesn't matter. Let's move on to the next one. Look, this is a minotaur! Don't you think that'd be awesome?"

They continued to create new ice sculptures for nearly half an hour, after which the creatures started fussing around them, pushing them together again until they found themselves leaning against a tree, as well as each other.

"We should probably start heading back soon," Elsa said wistfully. Truth be told, she had enjoyed their little trip much more than she had expected. It felt good to be away from all the vigilant eyes of Arendelle for a while, being able to just do as she wished and be whoever she wanted to be. "People will start to wonder where we are."

Anna nodded slowly. "Newa will get us back quickly enough, don't worry. I'd love to stay here all day but, truth be told, I do have some work that remains to be done."

Elsa giggled softly. "Sorry, but I do find some solace in the fact that someone else has to work while I do not have any duties for the rest of the day. It's a refreshing change of pace for me. Maybe I'll join you in your office and watch you work. If you don't mind, of course."

* * *

Anna hadn't exaggerated when she had said that Newa would get them back to the city quickly. Riding on the back of a griffin was considerably better than walking – even if it didn't use its wings it was much faster. Newa had dropped them off a short distance removed from the edge of the forest, ensuring that no one would actually see their icy mount.

Back at the castle, everything had appeared to be as regular as it always did, and the two of them found themselves in Anna's office, Elsa having dismissed Kai for the rest of the day. After all, if Anna had any questions or concerns, Elsa would be right there to help her out.

Anna was sitting in her chair, looking over the notes she had taken during the meeting yesterday. "Elsa, do you think we can spare a few guards on snowy mornings? To help clear the marketplace of snow and ice?"

"Sure, I don't see why not. I'll make sure someone arranges it," the blonde responded, scribbling a short note and handing it to one of the servants in the hall. "Is that all they needed from you?"

Anna nodded mutely, busy reading up on the stack of invoices still present on her desk, wanting to get them off of her desk as soon as possible. Elsa sat down on the windowsill, silently watching her work for a few minutes, before getting up and standing behind her.

Anna couldn't help smiling as she felt Elsa's hands on her shoulders. Mere seconds later, she bent down to steal a quick kiss. Anna hummed contently as Elsa pulled back again, returning her attention to the documents. She managed to sign off on two requests before Elsa bent down again, stealing another kiss.

Mere minutes later, she did so again. And again. And yet again. After the twenty-second kiss, Anna sighed audibly. "Elsa, I really love you to bits, but if you keep this up I'm never going to get any work done," she said with an apologetic smile, turning her head to the blonde. Elsa looked a little embarrassed, returning to her seat on the windowsill with a small nod of understanding.

Exactly four minutes later, she got up again, taking a seat on the corner of Anna's desk. The desk was large enough for it not to bother Anna, but soon after Elsa's fingers started playing with a few strands of her hair. Despite her best efforts, Anna couldn't concentrate on working like this. Elsa was just too much of a distraction.

"Elsa… Why don't you just go and do something, and I'll come and find you when I'm done here. Because, much as I loathe to admit it, I'll never get any work done like this. Don't you have a meeting or some document that needs your attention?"

Elsa smiled a little, shy smile before getting up and rearranging her skirt. "You're right, I'm sorry. I'll just go and sit over there and watch you. Without moving or making a sound. Promise."

Anna nodded her assent, taking her quill from the inkwell. "That's okay. But if you decide to distract me again, I'll have you removed from my office. Orvik is right outside, and he listens to me, not you. Just remember that," she said smugly before getting back to work.

Anna was more than a little surprised to find Elsa actually kept her word, and sat silently and nearly motionless for the majority of the afternoon, only interrupting Anna for tea, and eventually for dinner. By the time they left Anna's office, the redhead was very content with the amount of work she'd managed to finish – the only thing that remained to be done was checking on the tally in the vaults again.

But that could wait until _after_ dinner.

* * *

The room was darker than usual, he realized as his gaze roamed around the table. And there were more people in attendance than usual as well. In fact, it appeared everyone had been called in for this meeting, he mused, trying to recall the names that belonged to each face. Lady Yuwin at the head of the table, of course. Gregor, her right-hand man, sitting on her right side.

He pained his brain in an attempt to remember the name of the girl – barely out of her teens – sitting on Lady Yuwin's other side. She was new, and had apparently taken down quite a few of the men that had been sent out to retrieve her. Honestly, Clint wasn't even certain what she was capable off. He'd never paid any of the _others_ much mind. He did wonder though… Why had they all been called here…

An ominous hush silenced the room as their leader shifted the shadows in the room around, creating a bubble of impenetrable darkness around their table. Clint marveled at the uselessness of the guards that were posted in each corner – they wouldn't be able to see them at all, so why post them there?

Before he could ponder on that question, though, Lady Yuwin cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. "I see everyone made it here in time, for a change. How very astonishing. I'm almost impressed. But let's get to the point… I've been informed that Arendelle is preparing for war."

She paused for a while, giving everyone the chance to murmur or whisper something to their neighbours before returning their full attention to the throne. "And as it is, we're not ready to face them outright. The Ice Queen is powerful, and she has strong allies. Corona, DunBroch, France, Denmark… She's got all of them wrapped around her dainty fingers… But I've come too far to just lay down and roll over because of a few… minor setbacks."

Clint couldn't help it. He found her grin to be particularly troubling. He'd give his life for that woman, he knew that, but he couldn't help but doubting her mental stability from time to time. Sometimes it was just too clear that something was off about her. Now was clearly one of those times.

"Assignments! Druid, you will be traveling to Misthorn. It's one of the few places we haven't scoured yet, so I'll leave it up to you to find… everything worth finding. I advise you not to come back empty-handed."

An old man sitting across the table nodded solemnly as Yuwin continued. "Colton, you will be traveling west. I need you to see if we can cross the ocean and reach land south of the mountain range that way. It'd be so much easier than trampling Arendelle's forces in the mountains. Ilta will keep an eye on the mountain pass – if anyone tries to cross into _my_ territory, you will let me know."

Yuwin looked around the table for a while, her eyes eventually landing on Clint. "You have disappointed me greatly on your last assignment, Clint. I assume that shall not happen again?"

He cringed at the memory of his punishment. No. Whatever happened, that was to be avoided at all costs. "I am entirely at your disposal, Milady. Ask me anything and I will comply," he groveled.

"I don't _ask_, Clint. I _command_. But yes, you will get a shot at redemption. You're returning to Arendelle. Stick to the shadows and find out everything you can about the queen and this pet-girl we've been hearing about. We need to know where to strike when the time comes."

"Of course, Milady."

"Finally, Blair, Shadrin, Novirrin, Lyana and Belerine. You'll be traveling to the Grey Gardens."

Before any of them could respond, Gregor interrupted. "Milady, with all due respect, do you not think that you are perhaps sending a few too many for such an assignment? Surely they could achieve their goals with half of them?"

"Don't fool yourself, Gregor. We will need the Grey Gardens on our side. If they choose to side with Arendelle, our fight will be lost before we even get started. The Judge is a powerful man, and last I heard, he holds little love for people like us. If he cannot be persuaded to, at the very least, turn a blind eye to our activities, we will need to take him out."

"You must be kidding, Violet!" Gregor remarked acidly, surprising everyone at the table with his bluntness and lack of respect. "You must be mad if you're even considering an assassination attempt on the Judge. He is the most powerful man in the Northern Kingdoms, and quite possibly even beyond that. What you propose is preposterous."

Violet sent a stream of dark mist at the man sitting next to her, but Gregor remained unfazed, not even blinking at the gesture. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. If he can be persuaded, all will be fine. We'll decide on a contingency plan later. Now, I think we're done here. Those of you that do not have assignments will be responsible for the Tower's security."

And just like that they all got up and left the room. Clint banished the events during the meeting out of his head. He had to concentrate on his assignment. Observing Queen Elsa. _Observing_. Oh, he'd do a lot more than just observe. After all, this was his shot at redemption. He had to make it count. And he would… He most certainly would.

_The Ice Queen better watch out_, he thought to himself as he sped down dark corridors. _I'll show her some real magic this time_.

* * *

**Do feel free to leave a review. Because those never fail to make me happy - and a happy me writes faster than an un-happy me. I'd also like to thank everyone for the support - either in PMs and Reviews or through Follows/Favorites. You're all miraculous people. Finally, I think I should thank t3l4m0n - or rather, we all should. He's the one that practically forced me to get back to my writing desk and get some work done. Without him, this would probably not be published for another few weeks. So yeah... he's pretty awesome.**


	17. Chapter 17

**I know, I know. You all had to wait terribly long for my update. I'm really, really sorry, but at the moment I simply don't have the time to stick to a decent writing schedule. Or any writing schedule, for that matter. So, while I'd love to promise you my updates will be faster in the future, I can't. The only promise I can make you without fear of having to break it is this: All of my stories WILL be finished. I'll never abandon one of my stories and leave it unfinished. They're rather too precious to me for that. **

**Also, I've been getting a lot of questions about how long The Royal Commoner is going to be. And frankly, I haven't the slightest idea. What I do know, though, is that I've only just set up the basic plot, and we're not even one-third into the story. So if you like long stories, this is good news. If you don't, but still like TRC, this is also good news. If you don't like The Royal Commoner, I think you're lost, because you have no reason to be in chapter 17 in the first place. :)**

**Anyway, enjoy! Oh, and would you all please be so kind to grace me with a review? I like those a lot! :D**

* * *

Anna noticed.

Not that odd, considering Anna noticed nearly everything when it came to Elsa. After a few days, she would have been able to tell anyone how Elsa drank her tea, how she liked her coffee, that she was right handed and fiddled with her braid whenever she got nervous. She could have told them about her unwavering work ethic, which only ever moved to the second place when it came to those who were closest to her.

She could have told everyone how Elsa appreciated each and every person who worked for her, more than she let on, despite not knowing their names. That the long and trying days of ruling Arendelle were slowly taking their toll on the young queen, despite the help from others.

Anna knew and noticed a lot of things. Thus it had not escaped her how Elsa had changed over the past few weeks. She had started learning the names of her servants, trying to be more approachable than she had been before. She had even, on occasion, tried to make small talk with some of them.

Problem was that the servants really weren't used to such a thing, which made it increasingly difficult for Elsa to get them to open up to her. But Anna had a plan – a brilliant plan, even. Therefore, on her free Thursday morning, while Elsa was in her study, Anna made her way to the servant's quarters. Once she had gathered a large enough group, she started explaining what she wanted to do.

"I need your help to pull a prank on Elsa," she had started, her sentence slowly dying down as everyone looked at her with horror before turning around and walking off, pretending to be busy with their chores. Realizing that, maybe, her plan wasn't quite as good as she had thought at first, she dejectedly made her way back to her study.

She was only halfway when she was suddenly stopped by Prince Hans. "Lady Anna," he nodded cordially, adjusting his steps to walk alongside her. "I just heard the craziest thing. Apparently, some noblewoman snuck into the servant quarters and tried to get them to help her pull a prank on Elsa."

Anna's head shot up with surprise. "How'd you know _that_? I left only minutes ago!"

"Well, I'm Queen Elsa's spymaster, aren't I? That means it's pretty much my job to know what happens. In the castle. In the country. Outside the country."

"And let me guess, you're here to tell me off?"

"Actually, I wanted to offer my assistance," Hans smirked casually.

Anna stopped dead in her tracks. "Seriously?"

"Yes. It has been far too long since I've been able to pull any sort of prank on Elsa. Meet me in my office in half an hour?"

"Um… Okay, sure."

Hans walked off with a little skip in his step, clearly giddy with anticipation as he started doing whatever it was he did. Before Anna could properly gather her mind, there was a soft scraping of someone's throat behind her.

Without turning around, Anna smiled. "Yes, Frida?"

"Master Gustavson is at the gates. He has a cart with him."

"I see. Could you please find four guards and send them over to escort him and his creation to the throne room. Tell him I'll meet them there."

"Of course, Milady."

Anna turned on her heel, setting a brisk pace towards the throne room. She tried very hard not to show her excitement. If Gustavson was here, that meant the throne was ready. _Her_ throne. A throne of her own. For her! Anna, having her own throne. The country girl. On a throne!

Anna waited – not so patiently – in front of Elsa's throne, and a sly smile crept onto her face as she heard the grunting of men coming from the corridor. Apparently, _her_ throne was heavy. Anna almost felt bad for them. They'd have to lift Elsa's throne too, in a minute, and that one was probably a lot heavier.

The doors opened, revealing four guards heaving a large wooden object on their shoulders, panting and straining as they moved it to the front of the throne room and gently placed it onto the ground. Anna was utterly mesmerized. Her throne resembled Elsa's mostly. Made out of wood, with a high back, and featuring intricate patterns consisting of curves and floral patterns.

The only difference was that the back of her throne was slightly lower than Elsa's, which towered high above the monarch when she sat in it. Also, on the back, above Elsa's head, there was an intricate snowflake carved into the wood. Anna's throne obviously didn't have that. Upon closer inspection, however, she found the snowflake had been replaced by the semblance of Newa. In fact, they looked so alike that Anna had difficulty believing the carpenter had never seen her icy friend.

"Her Majesty sent me some drawings to work with for that image," the carpenter said with a bow, his voice gruff but kind. "I hope it is to your liking."

"I absolutely love it!" Anna yelled out, jumping onto the throne and slumping in her seat. "And it's comfortable too!"

The carpenter smiled slightly as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm glad my work doesn't disappoint, Milady."

One of the guards shifted his weight, flexing his fingers. "Would you like us to set it in its place, Milady?"

Anna got up and nodded, turning towards Elsa's throne. "Yes. Queen Elsa told me exactly how she wanted to have everything. Her throne needs to be moved to the right slightly," she said, indicating its destination with her hands. "And then the new throne should be placed here."

The guards nodded and set to work, hoisting Elsa's throne upwards with heavy grunts and several curses – for which they immediately apologized, because one does not curse in the presence of a woman. And there was probably some form of punishment for cursing in the presence of a lady. Anna, having grown up on a farm, merely shrugged.

Truth be told, she was probably better at it than they would ever be. Not that she was going to tell them, of course.

Some twenty minutes later, the thrones were finally positioned correctly, and the guards were dismissed. The carpenter looked at his work one last time, before turning towards Anna. "Milady, again, I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to not only have made the Royal throne of Arendelle, but to also have fashioned its companion piece."

"You're very welcome, Master Gustavson. I could not have found anyone better suited for the job."

"You honor me greatly. Now, I am loathe to bring it up, but-"

"Do not worry. I will have the agreed upon amount of gold delivered to your workshop before the end of the day," Anna smiled. "After all, a deal is a deal."

Master Gustavson bowed and left the throne room via the great doors, while Anna swiftly snuck out through the back door, hidden behind one of the curtains. She had just enough time to make her way to Hans' office to plan their prank. Stepping through into the corridor, she was not surprised to find Orvik, her personal guard, standing in waiting.

She had walked through two corridors before she turned around and waved him over. "I know it's your job to follow me around and keep me safe, and I appreciate that, but must you really do it so silently? I'd much rather be aware of you walking behind me than occasionally hearing a wayward sound. It gives me the feeling someone's following me."

"With all due respect, Milady, someone _is_ following you," Orvik smiled sheepishly.

"Right," Anna nodded, realizing how silly that must have sounded. "What I meant was that it makes me feel as if someone's out to get me. Can't you just walk _with_ me? At least while we're inside the castle?"

Orvik nodded his consent as they started moving again, the guard this time trailing only a few steps behind Anna. Still not exactly what she had been going for, but it was an improvement, at least.

When Anna opened the door to Hans' office, it was considerably more crowded than she had expected. Hans was sitting in the chair behind his desk, casually chatting with Merida, who was seated _on_ his desk. Not modestly on the corner, but right in the middle, atop all of his paperwork. And no one seemed to think that was strange. Rapunzel was seated on the windowsill, absent-mindedly staring outside. And on her right, four people were seated in easy chairs, uncomfortably shifting in their seats.

"Ah, Anna! So glad you could join us!" Hans smiled, gesturing to the only remaining chair.

"About time," Merida huffed playfully, earning her a warning gaze from Rapunzel.

"Be nice, Merida. It won't be much longer or Anna will have the power to banish you from this kingdom."

Hans raised his eyebrows. "She already does, doesn't she? She only needs to ask Elsa. We all know she would give in straight away. I mean, who _wouldn't_ banish Mer- Ouch! Okay, okay. Easy there."

Merida retracted her arm, while Hans was busily trying to rearrange his hair to its former glory. "Anna, these are Caroline, Jasper, Sam and Sara. They're all servants in the castle, although in different parts. They're… willing to assist us in our top-secret endeavor."

"So, what's the plan?" Rapunzel asked from her perch in the window.

Hans smirked. "A bucket of cold water is a classic."

Merida and Rapunzel both cringed, their faces scrunching up with unpleasant memories. "We tried that once. Not our brightest idea. Elsa ended up wet, but we ended up wet and _freezing_. Besides, the cold never bothered Elsa, remember?"

Hans nodded slowly, his hand reaching up to play with his sideburns. "Right. I could see how that would result in an unpleasant experience for all of us. So no cold water. What's next?"

A devious smile suddenly grew on Rapunzel's face. "Mer, remember that time Elsa created that horrible monster of ice right outside your bedroom window after you ruined her favorite dress?"

"How could I forget?" Merida wallowed, "I had nightmares about that… that _thing_ for months!"

The entire room erupted into laughter, Merida huffing indignantly. "I'll have you all know I was eight!"

Once everyone had quieted down a little, Rapunzel got off her perch and started pacing. "We should do the same to her!"

"We don't have magical ice powers," Anna supplied helpfully.

A soft coughing caught their attention, and Sara, one of the servants, stood up. "There's a bear. West wing, third floor. Where we keep all the old decorations from past rulers? There's a large bear."

Merida's eyes grew alight with wonder. "Elsa has a _bear_ in her castle and didn't tell me?!"

"It's dead," Sara added. "A mounted bear. I think it was a hunting trophy from her great-grandfather? It scared me half to death the first time I had to clean that room. I doubt the Queen even knows it exists."

"Perfect," Hans smiled. "Sounds like the beginnings of a great plan!"

* * *

Everything had pointed to this being one of the easy and laid-back days. A messenger had brought word that Anna's throne had arrived, but that Anna was already taking care of it and that she wasn't needed. So she had continued her paperwork leisurely. There was no hurry, after all.

That was before the servant had knocked on the door. She recognized her as one of the maids, predominantly cleaning the lesser used areas of the castle. She pained her brain to remember her name, but didn't come further than 'something that starts with an s.'

That had stopped mattering when the girl had told her there was an emergency and that she had to come along. Immediately. Elsa's mind raced to thoughts of war, Anna being in trouble, Merida or Rapunzel having been hurt. She jumped off her chair and followed the servant, who made her way downstairs.

Her queries about the circumstances of the emergency were met with silence. Either the servant didn't hear her, or she wasn't capable of walking at these speeds and talking at the same time. The girl led her to one of the corridors. Briefly, Elsa wondered about the large amount of servants being at work in this corridor – cleaning, changing paintings, polishing armors – it was almost as if they were expecting visitors from another kingdom. Which was odd, because those were already here.

Her mind quickly shot back to the matter at hand, though. The emergency was apparently taking place behind a non-assuming door that Elsa had probably walked past over a hundred times, yet never paid any attention to.

"In here, Your Majesty," the servant girl muttered, her head turned down, facing the ground.

Elsa took a deep breath as she placed her hand on the doorknob. Whatever she'd find in there, she'd deal with it. She had to. She was the Queen of Arendelle.

She swung the door open with a swooping gesture of her arm. At that moment, she lost all semblance to rationality, or even sanity, as she fired a large blast of ice at the monster in front of her – a loud yelp echoing across the corridor.

Only when she had taken two steps back, and the snow and ice had settled, did Elsa realize what was going on. That wasn't a monster sent by some evil witch from a northern country. If it had been, why would it be in the broom closet? Then again… what was a mounted bear doing in the broom closet? Unless…

She noticed all the servants staring at her as she observed the remnants of what had been a hunting trophy from one of her ancestors. Some looked slightly amused, but most of them looked anxious or even fearful. Not that strange, considering they were probably all in on it…

She felt the tension flowing from her limbs as she relaxed, realizing there was no emergency. And then the laughter started bubbling up in her stomach, forcing its way upwards before erupting from her mouth. Elsa could hardly recall the last time she'd laughed like this. Surely it had been when she was still a young child – a time most of the servants couldn't possibly recall. That explained the baffled looks.

After a few seconds, the servants apparently felt it was okay for them to laugh as well, and before long the entire corridor rang with the sound of merry souls. When it quieted down a little, Elsa closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

_Of course_, she thought as a small smile formed around her lips. A loud yelp from around the corner caught everyone attention, and Anna jumped into view, desperately clutching at the back of her dress. "No fair, Elsa! Get it out! Cold, cold, cold! Please, I'm sorry, just… Gah, get that ice out of my dress!"

Elsa smiled, shaking her head slightly, but dissipating the ice nonetheless. "Of course, I should have known you were behind this," she smiled with a fond smile.

"How did you know?" Anna asked, walking over to her and embracing her in a quick hug.

"You're wearing a ring made out of my ice, Anna. I always know where you are. And you coincidentally standing around that corner was a little hard to believe."

"Odd how you didn't notice me standing there sooner, then," Anna said with a large smirk.

"Probably the stress and panic. Sara here made me believe there was an emergency," Elsa shrugged, getting rid of the ice covering the broom closet.

"Whoa, hey! Hey, leave that! Put me down, you-"

Everyone turned their heads, except for Elsa, to find Hans being carried into the corridor by a large golem made out of snow. "Oh, hah, hello there, my dear sister. Fancy meeting you here. This one of your guys?"

"Why am I not surprised at finding you lurking behind a tapestry, Hans?" Elsa asked with faked exasperation. "I figured Anna wasn't the only culprit. I think I'll have Marshmallow here walk you around for a while."

"Marshmallow?" Anna and Hans both asked in unison.

"It's a fitting name," Elsa shrugged, and just like that, the snowy golem lumbered off, still carrying the prince in its arms. "Now, to find Merida."

"Why Merida?"

"I'm a queen, Anna, not a fool. I recognize payback when I see it. This resembles something I did to Merida years ago just a little too much. So I suppose you and Hans wanted to pull a prank on me, got Merida to help with the idea, and the servants to help you with the execution."

"Actually, it was my idea."

Again, all heads turned into the same direction, finding the blonde princess of Corona standing on the far side of the corridor. "But Merida was all too happy to help finding the bear."

"I see. Whenever you find her, please tell her she can come out of hiding and I won't be looking for revenge."

"You won't?" Anna asked incredulously.

"Not against Rapunzel and Merida, no. I pranked them, they paid me back in full. As far as I'm concerned, we're even. As for you and Hans, however…"

Anna gulped audibly under Elsa's threatening gaze, Rapunzel merely giggling and hurrying off – probably to retrieve Merida from her hiding spot.

"Walk with me, Anna," Elsa said, a small and gentle smile on her face.

They looped their arms together as the servants started making their way out of the corridor and towards their usual workplaces. For a few corridors, Elsa and Anna walked in comfortable silence, until the blonde suddenly started talking.

"Thank you, Anna."

Anna abruptly stopped, looking at Elsa with a confused expression. "For what?"

"I really am no fool, love. I know what you did back there. Pulling a prank with so many servants around – even involving some of them – to show everyone that I'm not as aloof and cold as I sometimes appear."

"You're right. You really aren't a fool," Anna smiled sheepishly.

"Indeed. Now come, Marshmallow will be bringing Hans to the throne room soon, so let's go and test our thrones."

There was a wicked sparkle in Elsa's eyes, and Anna marveled at how young Elsa suddenly seemed. So different from the cold Ice Queen of Arendelle. This was much more like the little girl she had heard so many stories about. And she planned to enjoy every moment of it.

Once they had reached the throne room, Elsa stopped dead in her tracks. She stood staring at the two thrones for quite a while, and Anna was about to ask if something was wrong when Elsa started forward again.

"It's been so long since there have been two thrones here," she muttered. "When father and mother passed away, mother's throne was removed, and the main throne was placed in the center. And now there are two again."

Anna was silent for a little while as Elsa ran her finger over the woodwork of the new throne. "I like this one better than the old one, though," she smiled shyly.

"What happened to your mother's throne anyway, if you don't mind me asking? Why didn't we just use that one?"

"I asked Kai, but he hasn't been able to track it down. No one seems to know where it was moved to. It was quite a chaotic time back then. Do you like the imagery?"

Anna smiled brightly. "Yes! Newa will be so happy when she hears she's depicted on my throne!"

Their conversation continued for a while longer, both of them now seated in their thrones. After a while, they heard a pounding sound coming closer, causing the guards to place their hands on the hilts of their weapons. Their reaction when Marshmallow came barging in, still carrying a disgruntled Prince Hans in his arms, was nothing short of hilarious.

Naturally, Hans' clothes and hair had gotten a lot less tidy during his little stroll, and had Anna not known who it was, she would probably not have recognized him.

"Elsa, please. I beg of you, don't do anything rash. We wouldn't want to start another round of pranks, chasing all visiting dignitaries away like we did when we were fifteen, now would we?" he smiled hopefully.

* * *

It was almost three in the afternoon when Anna finally left the throne room. Elsa had decided to be lenient – for now – and not punish Hans by paying him back with a prank. Or at least, that's what she'd told him. Anna figured she'd believe it when she saw it.

Right now, however, she just wanted to enjoy the lovely weather outside. Having her own throne in the throne room was great, but she really needed to get out of the dusty halls for a while. Rather than going out into the city – where she would undoubtedly be recognized and approached by everyone – she decided to enjoy the sun in the spacious courtyard at the back of the castle.

She had not expected to find Merida and Rapunzel there. The blonde was sitting on a stack of hay bales, watching Merida fire arrow after arrow into the center of her targets. Occasionally, she'd throw an apple into the air, only to watch one of Merida's arrows pierce it as it reached the highest point in its trajectory.

To say Anna was impressed would be an understatement. She didn't want to interrupt Merida's target practice – which she totally didn't seem to need anymore, but still – and started walking towards the stables when Rapunzel waved her over.

"So Anna, I assume Elsa forgave you for her little scare?"

Anna smiled widely as she plopped down next to the princess. "Indeed she did."

"I knew it!" Merida exclaimed as she fired another arrow, the dull thud of it hitting its mark resounding through the courtyard. "You're the only person in this kingdom who could get away with any crime. Hey! Think you could-"

"_Merida_," Rapunzel said. Merida immediately shut up, and Anna figured she would have too, had Rapunzel spoken to her in such a tone. She didn't look like it, but the young princess could be remarkably intimidating when she tried.

"Fine, fine! Anna, lass, I'm sorry. I won't be engaging your services to further my own gains." Merida barely even looked at her target, yet when she released the drawstring of her bow, the arrow hit the target dead center, right next to the other.

Anna cocked her head to the side with a mischievous grin. "Since I can get whatever I want in this kingdom, I want you to teach me that."

"Teach you what?" Merida asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Archery!"

Merida groused a little at first, but soon conceded, putting Anna on her spot and handing her one of the practice bows from the rack. She patiently went over Anna's stance, spreading her feet apart from each other, turning her body slightly sideways, and correcting her grip on the bow. The following two hours were filled with Merida's instructions, mostly consisting of "keep your elbow up" and "keep your eyes open."

When Anna and Merida had been at it for nearly two hours, the ground around them was covered with practice arrows – Merida had thought it unwise to start out with anything that might actually hurt someone when they did not end up where Anna intended them to.

And while she had at first thought it silly – how hard could it be, right? – she was now very happy Merida had been so insightful. Two hours, and Anna had only managed to fire four arrows. Two of those were now missing, one had almost hit Rapunzel in her face, and the other one had hit nothing else than Anna's own foot.

Yes, archery was harder than it seemed. And yet Merida kept telling her she was a natural, and that many starting archers hardly managed to even _fire_ an arrow. So Anna had slowly given up hitting the target during today's practice session. And then the next arrow actually managed to hit the practice dummy. It would hardly have been a hindrance to a soldier if it had been a real person in a fight, but still, it was progress.

"Elsa's lucky to have such a great family," Anna mused as Merida put the practice bow – no one but Merida touched Merida's bow – and arrows back in the crate.

Rapunzel raised her eyebrows as Merida looked up from the crate. "What?" they said almost in unison.

"Well, you know. Rapunzel is her cousin, but she's also sort of an older sister, maybe? And Merida is the less refined younger sister. And then there's Hans, the annoying little brother you never wanted but can't do without anymore. And Kai and Gerda as the loving aunt and uncle!"

"I… never looked at it that way," Rapunzel smiled warmly, her eyes appearing slightly watery. "That is a lovely way of seeing things."

"I've always had my brother Kristoff," Anna continued, "but now it's almost as if I've suddenly found three more siblings!"

Anna was surprised to suddenly find Rapunzel embracing her tightly – the young princess being considerably stronger than her appearance belied. "Elsa is equally lucky to have someone like you looking after her, Anna," she muttered feebly. "You make her happy. It's easy to see." It took Rapunzel a few more minutes before she finally loosened her grip on Anna's body, stepping backwards as she dried her eyes with a handkerchief that had appeared out of thin air.

Anna looked up as she felt a hand on her shoulder, coming face to face with a stern Merida. "Aye, you make her happy. But if you hurt her, remember that I'll always be a better archer, lass."

Rather than being intimidated by the pseudo-threat, Anna smiled up brightly. "I won't hurt her. Never."

Merida's face immediately softened. "I know," she muttered. Merida opened her mouth again, clearly planning to say something else, but closed it before any sound came out. The princess frowned slightly as she shook her head lightly. Anna was inclined to ask what she had been planning to say, but didn't get the chance as Merida already turned away.

"Now come on, I'm bloody hungry and there should be food waiting fer us!"

* * *

Soon.

The time to strike would be soon.

Admittedly, it had been more difficult than he had anticipated. He'd reached Arendelle with such speed it must have been a record – one of the many perks of magic – but so far, he hadn't been able to spot the Queen yet.

Apparently, she didn't leave the castle that much. Which simply meant that _he_ had to get _inside_. After all, how could he gather any information from the brick walls and stoic guards? He couldn't. But when he got inside, he'd have full access to all the information he could possibly want.

And to the Queen.

Lady Violet had entrusted him with a job, and he wouldn't disappoint her again. He couldn't. Not after… _No._ He'd find the information. And to make up for past mistakes, he'd kill the Queen and anyone in his way. He owed her that much. If only he could get this done, maybe she'd finally see him for what he really was. Maybe she'd finally consider him worthy of her time, instead of looking down upon him.

His eyes wandered from the main gate, up the walls, to the windows, and back down again. There had to be an entrance somewhere. A little nook or cranny, overlooked by everyone, that he could exploit.

Yes. It was more difficult than he had anticipated. But he'd get it done.

Soon.

* * *

"Actually," Elsa said, her eyes boring into Hans' across the table, "I think we've heard enough embarrassing stories about _my_ childhood. We should probably make sure Anna gets to know all of your finest moments as well."

"Like being dragged across the castle by a giant snowman called Marshmallow for nearly half an hour?"

Merida snickered, putting her cutlery down and wiping her fingers on her dress. "Oi! How about the time little Hansy figured out boys and girls were different, and he ran around the castle butt-naked to inform anyone he encountered about that fact?"

Hans' face covered bright red as his fingers scratched one of his sideburns. "I could not help that I lacked proper education in that department. You should blame it on my father," he murmured, looking at his plate and avoiding eye contact as the rest of the table snickered.

Rapunzel smiled mischievously as she put her cutlery down as well, shooting her husband a quick glance. "Eugene, sweetheart, did I ever tell you about the time Hans tried to learn about love?"

Eugene looked from Hans to his wife and back, before focusing solely on the blonde. "Please tell me this is one of those stories I can tease him with for the rest of my life," he said hopefully as Hans groaned.

"Oh, absolutely. He was still quite young, only just learned how to read. And made his way into the library. Apparently, there were some romance novels with fairly elaborate descriptions. The next week, Hans tried to make out with everyone he liked, until Elsa's father caught wind of it and explained everything."

"That must have been a fun conversation," Anna hiccoughed in between her fits of giggling.

This time it was Elsa's turn to chuckle. "I can imagine. And of course we mustn't forget to tell about Hans's puberty habits. Sneaking out of the Royal Wing down to the ground floor to spy on the servant girls."

Everyone looked towards Hans, hoping to indulge in more of his embarrassment. However, to their surprise, they found him with a large smile on his face. "And while we're on that subject, we should most certainly also mention all the times I _planned_ to spy on the servant girls but had to abort those plans because a certain sister of mine was already occupying the only good vantage point."

Elsa lowered her head, pinching the bridge of her nose as scarlet crept across her face. "Somehow we always get back to embarrassing _me._ I should write up a royal decree to forbid-"

"Don't think so, lass," Merida laughed. "You should have seen this one coming. And really, why did we not hear about this a wee bit sooner?"

"Hans and I had an unspoken agreement. It's not something we were particularly proud of doing. But ever since my parents discovered my sexual preferences-"

"You mean 'ever since you proposed to a princess during your birthday'?" Rapunzel supplied helpfully.

"Semantics," Elsa muttered, waving Rapunzel's words away. "Ever since _that_ happened, Merida and Rapunzel were the only foreign princesses allowed inside Arendelle Castle."

Hans shrugged. "So really, we didn't have much choice but to… observe the servants."

Anna suddenly looked up at Rapunzel, who was sitting across from her. "Why is it we never hear any of your stories?" she asked with a thoughtful tone.

Before Rapunzel could reply, Merida butted in. "Li'l miss perfect's too boring!" she declared loudly.

Elsa cleared her throat as Rapunzel flung one of her napkins at Merida. "What Merida means to say is that Rapunzel has never been caught doing extremely embarrassing things. She was always the more responsible of our little gang."

"I was just smarter," the blonde shrugged with a self-satisfied grin.

For a few moments, the silence around the table was undisturbed, until Hans took a deep breath. "But since we're discussing childhood stories, I think I have a few more I'd like to share."

Everyone turned their attention back to Hans, wondering what the next story would be. "I have it from reliable sources that young Lady Oaken had an affinity for turtles in her younger years, for example. If I'm not mistaken, she used a wheelbarrow to imitate one, resulting in her being stuck in a ditch for several hours before the village preacher eventually found her."

"What?" Anna gasped as the rest of the group laughed at her expense. "How did you-?"

Hans merely winked at her, tapping his finger against the side of his nose. "I said it before and I'll say it again. It's my duty to know everything about everyone. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone about the ants…"

Anna's eyes widened even further as she lowered her head into her hands and released a muffled groan.

* * *

Anna swiftly made her way through the corridors of Castle Arendelle – having set a direct course for Elsa's library. Dinner had been equally enjoyable and mortifying, and Elsa had asked Anna to come find her in the library as soon as she was done with the paperwork she had neglected during the day.

When she placed her hand on the doorknob of the door, though, she noticed the door was slightly ajar, and she heard two familiar voices from inside. She pushed the door open a little further, allowing her to look inside.

Elsa was comfortably settled in one of the chairs near the fire, Rapunzel gingerly sitting on the armrest as she pulled a hairbrush through the Queen's platinum blonde hair. Anna knew that she should announce herself – it was the polite thing to do, after all – but she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard her name.

"Anna's good for you, Elsa. You deserve to have someone around to make you happy," Rapunzel said softly.

"I know that, Punz. It's just… what if she reconsiders and wants to leave?"

"What makes you think that will happen, Elsa? She's smitten with you! What could you possibly do to chase her away?"

"I don't know… But you know me, I always manage to ruin good situations."

"Don't be ridiculous, Elsa. From where I'm sitting, you make everything better, not worse. And no matter how you look at it, Anna's here to stay. You'd have a tough time getting rid of her even if you wanted to… Trust me."

"How do you know?"

"I recognize the looks of adoration. They're very much like the ones Eugene graces me with when he thinks I'm not paying attention."

"By now, he should know you always pay attention. You have everyone fooled with your big-eyed innocence. I think Merida, Belle, Eugene and I are the only ones that _actually_ realize how intelligent and perceptive you are…"

"Don't count my parents out just yet, Elsa. And please, there's no need for the word to spread. People are more inclined to make mistakes if they underestimate me. I like it that way."

"Your secrets are safe with me, Punz. They always have been, you know that."

"I know, Elsie."

Anna heard Elsa's soft laughter. "No one's called me Elsie since my coronation, Punz."

"Well, you'll always be my little cousin. You'll always be Elsie to me."

"Sometimes I think of you more as an older sister than as a distant cousin, you know that?"

This time Anna heard Rapunzel's giggle. "Funny you should say that. Anna said something very similar earlier today. About me being your older sister, Merida being your younger sister, Kai and Gerda as aunt and uncle and Hans as the little brother you never _really_ wanted."

Both women giggled for a little while before they resumed their conversation. "A remarkably astute observation," Elsa finally muttered.

"Hm, yes. Speaking of intelligence… It's true that I hide my wits whenever possible, but don't underestimate Anna either. She might not be noble-born, but I dare say she would outsmart half your court if given the chance."

"Oh, don't I know it. I wouldn't have made her Lord Treasurer if I hadn't been sure she'd be able to handle it. And she's been doing an amazing job at it, as far as I've heard. I've heard nothing but praise."

"Just make sure she knows how much you appreciate her, Elsie. You've got a good thing going here. Trust me when I say you want to see it through. Speaking of… Anna, you can come in, if you want," Rapunzel said, suddenly turning towards the door.

At that moment, Anna realized how right Elsa had been when they were discussing Rapunzel's wits and intellect. The young princess was remarkably perceptive, and Anna had no doubt that she knew exactly what was going on inside the castle – no matter whether it were her own castle in Corona, or Castle Arendelle.

"How did you know?" she asked, clearly in awe of Rapunzel's observation skills.

"I paid attention, and you weren't as subtle as you thought, probably," Rapunzel said with a tinge of humor lacing her voice. "I was just about to leave," she smiled, placing the hairbrush on the little side table. "I will see the two of you tomorrow. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she added with a mischievous smirk, seeming to take great pleasure in the blushing her teasing elicited.

Once the princess was out of sight, Anna could no longer repress a sigh. It had been a long day, and despite not having done a lot of work, she'd been incredibly busy.

"Come," Elsa smiled, holding out her hand for Anna to take.

"Where are we going?"

"You're going to your chambers," Elsa replied matter-of-factly. "I'll draw you a bath, and then you'll go to bed and sleep peacefully. There's a new day tomorrow."

Anna's instincts told her to object and tell Elsa that she wasn't tired, but as she opened her mouth to do so, another yawn escaped. "Fine," she grumbled eventually. "But only if you'll read to me."

"Anything for you, kitten."

"Kitten? Is that my new petname?"

Elsa's free hand clutched her braid as she replied. "I'm still working on it…"

Anna smiled widely. "You're making progress! I actually like this one."

It wasn't long before they reached their chambers and Elsa hurried off into the adjacent bathroom, telling Anna to prepare for her bath. She took a fresh nightgown from one of the drawers – slightly surprised that the softness of the material didn't even astonish her anymore.

A few minutes later, Elsa stepped back into the bedroom, motioning for Anna to take her bath. "I'll be right here. If you need anything, just give a shout."

"The Queen of Arendelle at my calling? How marvelous!" Anna exclaimed in an overly posh tone, resulting in a soft slap against the back of her head.

The water was exactly perfect – hot, but not too hot, and covered in a thick layer of foam and bubbles. She sighed as she closed her eyes and let the hot water wash away her fatigue. Yes, this was perfect. And yet, Anna had this nagging feeling that something was missing.

She grinned to herself. That could be solved easily enough. "Elsa, could you get in here for a moment?"

"Anna, I'm not sure-"

"Don't worry. There's plenty of foam, and no one will ever know! I need some help with my hair…"

She didn't have to open her eyes to know that Elsa had opened the door and stepped into the bathroom. The mere scent that she always carried around with her – the scent of winter, as Anna liked to call it – always betrayed her presence.

She moved around in the bathtub a little, making it so that she could hang her head back and allow Elsa to wash it for her. She had expected her fiancée to refuse and tell her to do it herself – because there really wasn't any reason why she shouldn't – but Elsa didn't seem to mind at all. Anna, for her part, reveled in the feeling of Elsa's fingers as they gently ran through her red tresses and massaged her scalp diligently. This was certainly something she could get used to.

Once Anna's hair was sparkling clean again, Elsa took a seat on a stool next to her. Anna waited for a while, but Elsa didn't seem to feel the need to talk, and frankly, neither did Anna. Just being here, together, was enough.

Nearly twenty minutes passed before Anna felt the need to end her bathing. She opened her eyes again, only to find Elsa staring at her with slightly hooded eyes. "Moondrop, are you leering at my shoulders?" she asked with a small chuckle.

Elsa shook her slightly, as if waking herself from a dream, before subtly blushing. "I'm sorry, Anna, I didn't mean to-"

"Hey, hey. It's alright, Elsa. I stare at you all the time. And really, what was I expecting asking you in here? If the roles had been reversed, I'd be staring too."

Elsa got up and smoothed her dress out. "I'll be in the bedroom. Any story you'd like to hear tonight?"

Anna cocked her head to the side. "You're the storyteller. You decide," she smiled.

The story ended up being about a race of creatures living deep within the woods, and the way they dealt with the growing cities at the borders of their forest. Anna realized that it was a political allegory, but right now she decided to just take the story at face value. After all, the major politics were still Elsa's business, not hers. And if she were trying to convey something important, it would come up sooner or later.

Elsa finished the tale just before Anna felt sleep overtaking her. With the last bit of her conscious mind, she grabbed the blonde's hand.

"Elsa… I'm never leaving you."


	18. Chapter 18

**First of all, allow me to apologize for the slightly longer author's note.**

**Second of all, allow me to apologize for my inactivity as of late. I had the misfortune for my laptop's hard drive to die, which caused me to lose all my fanfictions. Now, if it had only been my published stories, that would have been bad, but not disastrous. As it is, I lost at least 6 entire stories, and several chapters of other unpublished stories as well. So I've been trying to rewrite as much as possible, due to which this got a little belated.**

**I'll try not to let that happen again, though. :)**

**Then I'd like to leave a few words of all the petty people who feel like telling me that I'm a lousy author, that I should be ashamed of myself for my lack of skills, and that I'm disgusting because I write about incest. Sort of. By all means, if it makes you feel better to PM me your grievances, do keep it up. I'm nothing if not willing to help a fellow soul out, and I know that complaining and insulting people can be very rewarding at times. I just figured I'd let you all know that I really don't give a flying fuck about your opinions. There's people that like this story, and there's people that don't. That's how it is, that's how it always will be. If you're part of the latter group, just pack up your belongings and move somewhere else.**

**Now, I do hope you'll all enjoy this new chapter of mine. Since there's been some time in between updates, it might be advisable to read 1 or 2 chapters back before starting this. :)**

* * *

Clint smiled to himself. Getting into Arendelle Castle had been ridiculously easy. Considering his earlier slip-up, he had expected the queen to upgrade the Castle's security and defenses. And to a certain extent, that was true. But the dimwits guarding the southern gate had been distracted easily enough. All he'd had to do was bringing the dog-statue near the blacksmith's shop to life and send it at them.

Sure, now everyone would soon know that he was around, and probably in the castle. But surely, by the time those guards got back to the castle to tell on him, he'd be long gone, and the queen would be dead.

There had been a brief moment of worry when he had almost run into the princess of DunBroch and a contingent of her archers – a group even Clint would rather not take on, headfirst or otherwise – but he had managed to hide behind one of the suits of armour lining the corridors. Which had given him a brilliant idea.

Not long after, while he had been busy working his magic, he'd seen the queen's redheaded _pet_ coming out of the castle's lower levels, and he had only barely managed to find a hiding spot in the nearby art gallery. He had almost pounced on her as she walked by when he noticed the man walking a few respectable steps behind her. Clint wasn't an idiot, despite anything others might claim. He had done his preparations. And thus, he knew that those colours signified the man as an honored member of the Arendelle Royal Guard.

Had he been the redhead's only guard, he'd have considered taking the risk. But the ten men following them, all at varying distances, had made him decide that this wasn't the right time. Which was a shame, considering the fact that the redhead bitch looked way too pleased with herself.

But that was alright. All he had to do now was finding the queen, and he'd make sure that smug look would be wiped off of her face. And when he got back, his lady would reward him handsomely.

* * *

Elsa smiled as she read the scrolls of parchment scattered across her desk. Yule had been celebrated all across the kingdom, and this year, the Crown had used its coin to ensure that even the more remote villages could benefit from good food, drink, and entertainment. It had been the first time in history that the monarch of Arendelle had made that decision – outside the capital, Yule had always been an occasion for family – and Elsa's advisers had been in disagreement about it for months.

Elsa's smile suddenly disappeared as she recalled their mid-summer meetings about Yule. Those had not been pleasant meetings. But these responses from all over the kingdom were extremely positive, and it would have generated some goodwill towards the people. Which would be necessary in the future, especially with a war looming over their heads. Wars meant increased taxes, increasing the Royal Military, and many more unpleasantness. And while the noblemen in their villas would probably be fine, that did not seem likely for the poor villages near the borders.

But, Elsa reminded herself, she would cross that bridge when she'd come to it. Which would not be now. She penned up some standardized replies to the representatives of the villages and sealed all of them up. A simple task that turned out taking most of her morning.

She stretched and yawned as she looked out of her window, watching the sun climbing higher into the sky. She noticed some minor commotion in the courtyard below, probably a brawl going on somewhere, and the guards moving out to pull the unlucky lads – or lasses, perhaps? – apart. The blonde queen smiled to herself.

Being a queen was hard work all the time. And at first, she'd detested the job, well-groomed as she had been. She had wanted a normal job, that you could leave behind as you went home to be with family. But lately, she'd come to terms with the fact that she'd never be like that. She would be a queen until she died, and there wouldn't be an escape out of it.

Unless one counted Anna as such an escape.

Suddenly overtaken by an urge to be with Anna, even if she could only sit on the other side of the room and watch her work, Elsa got up from behind her desk and left her office in a hurry. It was close to noon, and she and Anna had not made any arrangements for lunch yet, so she imagined she'd find the redhead in her office.

Which, sadly, was on the other side of the castle. They would really need to look into making some changes about that. Elsa had sped through nearly three corridors – ignoring the occasional odd glance from a servant or two – before she noticed something was out of the ordinary. At the end of the corridor, she stopped and turned around, peering at the space behind her.

It took her a few more moments before she could place it, but eventually she realized that the suits of armour that usually lined the walls had been removed. She made a mental note to ask Anna or Kai about it. Perhaps her fiancée had decided that they could save money by making the soldiers wear the ornate armours.

Elsa giggled to herself as she turned the corner, her speed somewhat decreased now. Only to come to an immediate stop again. She was one-hundred percent certain that there used to be a statue in that alcove. A statue of one of her ancestors, almost three heads taller than the queen, wielding a flaming sword.

She had no idea how a statue like that could possibly have been removed without her knowledge. Or why anyone would even attempt that – as far as she knew, the statue had been rooted in that spot for more than a century.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed small cracks in the walls on either side of the alcove, as if someone had grabbed the corners and used it as leverage to pull himself forward.

Oh no…

It couldn't possibly…. The missing armours… the statue…

Just then, her fears were confirmed by the clanging sound of marching footsteps. Contrary to her first instinct, and perhaps even common sense, Elsa turned around and walked towards the sound. As she turned the corner to the previous corridor, she came face to face with a hall full of body-less suits of armour, the giant statue with its flaming sword walking at the head of the small army.

She felt the frost crackling around her and the magic flowing towards the palms of her hands as she prepared to defend herself, her castle, her employees, and, most importantly, her fiancée.

* * *

Anna was happy, and there was nothing that could possibly change the fact that she was having a great day. First thing in the morning, she'd had breakfast with Elsa, who had started bouncing ideas for new pet names off of her. There were some that were okay, but she still thought 'kitten' had been the best one so far.

After breakfast, she'd made her way down to the vaults to confirm the news – the tally was done, and there was actually _more_ money in the vault than Anna's documentation suggested. Odd as that was, Anna figured she'd take it as a good omen for her to start her new position in such a positive way. After all, when did people ever find out they accidentally had more money than they thought? Wasn't it supposed to always be the other way around?

From ten until eleven, Anna had been practicing her archery with Merida, who turned out to be a harsh instructor, although she was never unfair, and always willing to help Anna correct her stance or adjust her aim. All in all, she thought that she was making good progress. When she had joked that she'd soon be a better archer than Merida, and would thus be entitled to _her_ bow, the redhead princess had sent her away with an exaggerated huff.

Anna had complied happily, and decided to beeline towards her office and see if she could get some work done. After all, now that the tally was completed, there was no excuse not to be paying everyone to whom they were indebted after all the Yule festivities. Somehow, and Anna suspected magic was involved, Kai managed to show up at her door less than half a minute after she had lowered herself into her chair.

And that was a good thing, because Anna could most definitely use the help with all these invoices. It seemed as if there would never be an end to them. Which, in truth, was probably true… While Anna didn't particularly mind the work, and was happy that Elsa had entrusted her with it, she did find it to become mind-numbing when she attempted to do too much of it in one go.

"Kai, I'm going to stretch my legs for a few minutes. I'll be right back."

"Of course, milady. I'll endeavor to finish this stack of invoices while you're away," the portly man smiled. "After all, you'll have to content without my help in a few days."

"I do?"

"Naturally, milady. You've picked all of this up a lot faster than anyone anticipated, and are doing a great job at it, too. You won't need me anymore, before long."

Anna smiled back at him gratefully, before opening the door and slipping out. She barely noticed Orvik and his men as they started trailing behind her. She still thought the amount of guards assigned to her were a little exaggerated, but it was hard to argue with Elsa's paranoia.

As she sauntered through the corridors, a feeling of uneasiness started falling over her. She stopped near one of the windows to look outside. It was still sunny, and everyone seemed to be doing their own business in the city. Seagulls were flying around the docks, merchants were vying for consumers' attention. Everything was as it was supposed to be.

Yet…

Anna couldn't shake the feeling that the sun wasn't shining as brightly as it was supposed to, and the sounds from the city seemed more muted than she was used to, even inside the castle. She moved away from the glass and continued her short walk, the foreboding feeling only growing, as if a large cloud were hanging overhead, blocking the sunlight.

She was about to ask her guardsmen if they were noticing anything similar when a sharp, stinging sensation seemed to cut through her hand. She hissed and jerked it upwards in a reflex, staring at her fingers dumbly for a few seconds. When the feeling returned a few moments later, Anna noticed the faint flicker of light coming from her engagement ring.

"Elsa is in trouble!" she yelled to her guards, running off without hesitation or delay. For a few steps, she was uncertain where she should even be going, but when she reached the stairwell, the ring seemed to _tell_ her to go upstairs. Similarly, the ring told her to cross from the eastern wing to the western wing, and down the stairs on the far end.

The dropping temperature told her that she was most definitely going in the right direction. She threw a large door open by crashing into it with her full weight, and then came to a halt so abruptly that Commander Orvik crashed into her from behind.

The entire corridor was frozen over, large spikes protruding from the floor and walls, with large flurries of snow piling up in the corners. A dozen suits of armour – filled with nothing but air – were pinned on some of the spikes, while others were laying on the ground, half-buried under the piles of snow, some quietly, others still struggling to dig themselves out.

The entire scene was so surreal, Anna didn't even notice the giant statue in the middle of the corridor at first, swinging a large, stone sword around in wide arcs. And there, behind him, faced by the statue and more than thirty armours – some missing the helmet or some of their limbs – stood Elsa, still firing frost and ice out of her hands, slightly hunched over and backed into the wall.

"Protect Queen Elsa, at all costs," Anna heard her own voice yelling, before her feet started carrying her towards the battle. She walked carefully, expecting to slip on the slippery ice when she got to it, but to her surprise, the ice simply melted underneath her feet with every step she took. None of the animated armours seemed to pay Anna any heed, and she managed to slip through the throngs of sharp steel without any incident – which was more than she had hoped for, really.

"Elsa! Are you okay?"

The blonde blasted another flurry of snow outwards, toppling two more armours. "Anna, what are you doing! You have to get out of here, it isn't safe!"

"I'm not going anywhere unless you're coming too!" Anna shouted back, grabbing a large icicle protruding from the wall and snapping it clean off. Elsa fired a barrage of razor-sharp icicles at the statue, but they simply bounced off the sturdy, white stone.

Anna grimaced at the direness of their situation, wielding the icicle she'd snapped off as a large club and crashing it into an armour. The vibrations ran through her arms as the ice came into contact with the metal, but she couldn't repress a small smile as both of the arms came loose and crashed to the ground.

That trick worked two more times, in varying degrees of success, before the structural strength of the ice became too faulty for it to serve for another blow, causing it to splinter and fall apart.

On the other side of the corridor, Anna could see Orvik and his men combating the suits, making slow but steady progress and coming closer to them with each felled foe.

"Anna, watch out!"

Elsa's word registered only just in time, and Anna focused her attention on their own situation again, only barely being able to duck underneath a studded mace. From her crouched position on the ground, there was nothing she could do to stop the downward blow coming for her head.

So she just closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle.

Which arrived in the form of a green-feathered arrow that separated the metal gauntlet from the plating that made up its arm. Anna took the calculated risk of turning her head around to see the source of the arrow, not at all surprised to find Merida standing on a pile of armours, some of which were still struggling to be freed from the oppressive weight on top of them.

"Oi, lassy! I thought you were close to beatin' me? Were ya not? I see maybe four points for you there, and already eighteen for me, so you're a wee bit behind!" the princess of DunBroch bellowed as she nooked another arrow and let it loose the second after, hitting another armor straight in its visor.

Anna didn't bother replying, not sure she'd be able to bring forth enough sound for it to carry across the battlefield. Not everyone was blessed with a throat as sturdy as those bred in DunBroch, after all. Besides, Merida's attention had already shifted away from Anna and towards the new line of armours that came marching towards them.

Several more armours were toppled by a blast of cold air, immediately after which a thick wall sprouted from the floor in front of them, ice smoothly creeping up towards the ceiling, blocking both Elsa and Anna from the fighting. Anna was about to comment on it as she noticed Elsa falling to one knee.

"Elsa! Are you okay?"

"Yes, Anna. I'm fine. I've used a lot of my power in a really short time-span, that's all. Give me a few minutes to catch my breath and I'll dissolve the wall again."

Anna would have agreed with Elsa's infallible logic, had the giant statue in the room not chosen that moment to slam his sword into the wall, shattering it and sending large blocks of ice and dusted snow crashing all around them. Elsa looked like she'd given up, her head bowed down and still on one knee, and thus Anna did the only thing she could do.

She jumped forward and grabbed a hold of the statue as it prepared another heavy blow. The statue was almost twice the size of Anna in her entirety, but that didn't keep her from clambering onto its shoulders as if she were a monkey in a tree.

Clearly, climbing trees in the forests around Hellmark had been useful after all.

She hadn't given the rest of her plan any thought, and by the time she was firmly seated on its shoulder, she had decided to block the statues eye-sockets. Perhaps it would keep him from seeing? Did statues see at all?

Before she could do so, though, she got a clear view on the battlefield beneath her. Which turned out to be utterly confusing. Elsa had gotten to her feet, and was standing ready to fire more ice, but not actually doing so. Merida had an arrow aimed and ready, but wasn't firing it. Orvik and his men had their swords ready, but weren't swinging them. And all of them were wearing looks of confusion on their faces.

For some reason, the coordinated attacks from the armours, led by the statue Anna was now occupying, had turned into a carnival of sorts. Some of the armours were fighting one another now, whereas others weren't doing anything, seemingly having returned to their usual, non-moving state. Others were walking into walls, crawling or rolling over the floor, or impaling themselves on one of Elsa's many icy spikes.

The statue, Anna realized, was just gently rocking from left to right, like a young child listening to music, it's massive sword still clutched in his giant hand. The sudden lack of coordination seemed to last, Orvik and his men starting to disassemble the suits one by one, without encountering any resistance.

"I don't know how or why, but it seems like we've won," Elsa smiled up at Anna, who beamed in return. The redhead started clambering off the statue again, landing on the ground next to Elsa. Less than a second later, the giant stone sword slammed into the ground to their right, and the sound of clashing swords picked up again.

In her reflex, Anna lifted her hands upwards to defend herself from the next blow. Which never came.

She opened her eyes again, finding the suits to have gone back to their odd state again.

"Anna, don't lose contact with the statue," Elsa warned her, kneeling down next to her and pointing towards Anna's foot, which was gently touching the statue's foot. "Your touch is somehow stopping them."

Anna nodded slowly, still not entirely understanding the situation, but accepting Elsa's observation as a fact. She had no idea how she was doing this, or whether it was even _actually_ her, for that matter, but surely this couldn't be a coincidence.

"Merida, follow me," Elsa yelled, the two royals storming off while Orvik and his men dispatched the suits of armour and made their way towards Anna.

"Are you alright, Milady?" the commander immediately asked, kneeling down besides Anna.

"Yes, I'm fine," Anna breathed. "I'll just have to sit here until Elsa and Merida find the source of this… this euh… stuff," she finished lamely.

As it turned out, they didn't need to wait long for Elsa and Merida to return, a man dressed in a black cloak walking between them, and Rapunzel trailing a little distance behind. Orvik and his men immediately drew their swords, surrounding the interloper.

"Your Majesty, how did you find him?"

"Princess Rapunzel did," Elsa replied flatly. "Apparently, he was controlling his sorcery from the art gallery. Escort him to the dungeons, please. His manacles will prevent him from touching anything, but be careful nonetheless."

Orvik assigned six of his men to escort the foreigner away, ordering the others to start cleaning up the corridor as soon as Elsa waved her hand and dissipated the snow and ice.

"And make sure to destroy that statue," Anna added without thinking, "I don't imagine anyone being happy to see it after today."

For a moment, the men looked towards Elsa for confirmation, but the blonde only shrugged. "You heard the lady. Demolish it and recycle the stone for paving."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

* * *

The silence in his office was broken when the distant sound of opening gates wafted in through the window. The man sitting behind the desk, his posture bent and his hair grey, sighed, both with trepidation and with relief. Not long after, he heard the wheels of the cart rolling over the cobblestones in the courtyard, followed by hushed whispers and 'ooh' and 'aah.'

Clearly, this one was something special. People in the Grey Gardens generally didn't even think the new prisoners worthy of a glance. And that was saying something, considering that the last one they had brought in had been a shape-shifter with a particular fondness for reptiles.

He heard the clanging and clicking of a metal lock, and then the creaking of the hinges as the door of the cart-cage was opened. Everything after that sounded muffled, but that really didn't matter. In a few minutes, someone would come and fill him in on the details.

And indeed, after only a short while, there was the gentle knocking on his office door.

"Come in," he commanded, frowning as a wispy young man entered.

"We've got ourselves another one, Your Honour."

"What does it do this time?"

"Seduction, sir. It's a seductress. Almost escaped a fortnight ago, tempting one of the men into opening the cage. We're bloody lucky Harrold woke up in time to recapture her."

"Is she in the dungeons now?"

"Yes, Your Honour."

"I'll have a look at her later. You can leave."

As the young man left rapidly, the Judge pondered over the information. He had tracked, found, captures, judged and executed a great many users of magic. Most of them were minor cases, really. Performers using their powers to fool an audience. And then there were the minor elementalists, who controlled water, fire, air and earth. But this was the first time he encountered a seductress.

Interesting.

* * *

Several hours had passed since Elsa had the guards escort the sorcerer to the dungeon, outfitted with a special set of icy chains and gloves that would keep him from using his powers on anything else. Anna was feeling antsy, shifting on her throne while she and Elsa waited for the man to be brought back up.

When that had been arranged, and the man was kneeling in front of the dais, heavily restrained by chains made out of both ice and metal, Elsa took a deep breath.

"Before we start, it would be useful to know your name," she said calmly and coldly.

"Clint. Name's Clint."

"Very well, Clint. I assume you are an acquaintance of Lady Violet Yuwin?"

"And here I was thinking all blondes were idiots," Clint smiled smugly, resulting in a fierce blow to the side of his head from one of the guards.

"What is the Witch of Onyx Tower planning?"

"I'd rather freeze than betray her."

From the way Clint had spoken those words, Anna and Elsa could both feel that it was the truth. They'd get nothing from this interrogation if they didn't play it smartly.

"Very well, tell us about your powers, then."

"That can't do much harm," Clint mused out loud. "Basically, I can bring anything that's inanimate but shaped like a living thing alive. Statues, sculptures, suits of armour."

Anna took a deep breath. "Would we be correct in assuming you were behind the incident at Yule as well?"

Clint actually looked proud. "My patented skillset, yes. None other quite like it."

Elsa and Anna both nodded to the guards at the same time. "Bring him back to the dungeon. There's nothing more he'll be telling us today."


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello my dear readers! Just a short note in which I apologize for being slow, though I had a good reason this time: I was busy getting married.**

**Also, I published my first non-Frozen fanfic - The Things We Do, in the Mass Effect section. So, if you think that might be something you might be interested in, be sure to check it out, because I can promise you that it is going to be glorious! :D For those who are now thinking "Meh, not my cup of tea," I'll have another Elsanna one-shot ready in a few days ;)  
**

* * *

Three days had passed since the bold attempt at their lives, and the only thing Anna found odd was how little it had changed their lives. The man, Clint, had been locked up in the Arendelle dungeons ever since his attempt. Anna knew that Elsa went down there twice a day, interrogating the prisoner to find out more about his employer. She also knew that the castle staff had been complaining – not really complaining, since they understood and approved, but that didn't mean they liked it – about the permanent chill emanating from the dungeons, which was persistent enough to permeate several corridors around its entrance.

So far, however, Elsa's efforts had resulted in very little useful information. Or none at all, actually.

"Where are you going, Anna?" Elsa chimed from the corner of the library.

"I need something from my office, but I'll be right back," she replied cheerily. It had become somewhat of a habit of theirs to work together in Elsa's private library, instead of working separately in their respective offices.

"Don't forget your guards."

"Elsa," Anna started to whine, "it's only two corridors away from here. I'll be fine with just Orvik," she continued, nodding to her senior guard, sitting in the corner attentively.

"No disrespect, Commander Orvik, but I'd prefer some extra safety measures."

"None taken, Your Majesty. I agree that Lady Oaken's safety is our primary concern."

Anna puffed out a breath, sending her bangs fluttering upwards for a moment. However, knowing she couldn't win an argument with both her fiancée the queen, and her senior protector at the same time, she kept silent and nodded.

Outside the library, she was immediately joined by a contingent of guards, whose rattling and stomping followed her throughout the corridors. Anna felt like she was parading around with a herd of bulls stampeding after her – the twenty-five guards definitely made enough of a ruckus for that comparison to be valid.

To her surprise, she found her office to be occupied by Hans, who was twiddling his thumbs in the chair next to the window. "Ah, M'lady, I had a feeling you'd be coming by," he smiled charmingly.

"Hello, Hans," Anna smiled with a curtsy. "What can I do for the Prince of the Southern Isles?"

"Ah, that's actually why I'm here. I need your help with a grave and important matter."

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"I need you to get me inside Elsa's library. I need to talk to her, and other than you, no one's allowed inside."

Anna laughed softly, grabbing the papers she needed and turning towards the door again. "Well, then, hurry up. And don't mind my guard detail. Elsa got a little over-protective again."

"You can't really blame her for that, though, now can you? After what happened, I think everyone would like to have such a guard detail as yours."

"If that's the case, you can have mine."

"And have to deal with Elsa's wrath? I think I'll pass. Maybe you could tell that griffin of yours to protect me, though?"

"Newa is already on guard duty, sorry."

"Who's?"

Anna chuckled darkly. "Elsa's great at protecting everyone with considerable numbers of guards. Except for herself. I pointed it out, she said that she could take care of herself. So I stuck Newa on her without her knowing it. She's circling outside the library at the moment, and will accompany us to wherever we go next."

"That's very thoughtful of you," Hans smirked. "You'll make a great queen someday, I think."

Anna couldn't contain an unladylike snort at Hans' comment. "If I'm not mistaken, I'll be a princess, not a queen. And even if I were a queen, I'd not be the ruling queen. Elsa is and will remain Queen Regnant, I might at best become Queen-Consort, which-"

"You could both be Queen Regnant, you know?"

"We can?"

"Sure. It would take some legal finagling, but nothing Elsa can't handle."

"She never told me about any of this, so she probably doesn't even-"

"Oh, she does. I know she's discussed it with at least one of the Council members already, as well as me, Rapunzel and Merida."

"She did?"

"Yes. She just didn't want to burden you with this until you were ready. She figured that you already had enough changes for now, and that we should take it easy on you. Just a little."

"Good thing too. Sometimes I feel like I won't be able to keep up with all the things going on in my life. First I meet the queen, then she comes to dine with us and sleep in my bed, then we become friends, then I get invited to Yule celebrations for nobles, then I learn about a looming war and then I was suddenly engaged to the Queen. A lot has been happening…"

Hans looked at her understandingly as Anna opened the door to the library. The guards attempted to stop Hans from entering, but immediately relented when she told them he was with her.

"Elsa, I'm back safe and sound. Even brought a visitor!"

"Who?"

"Hello, sis!" Hans chimed happily, sounding like a little child seeing his long-lost sister again.

Elsa smiled a reserved little smile. "Hans, what a pleasure. What brings you here?"

"I have some interesting business to discuss with you."

"I hope this doesn't take long, Hans. We have two queens to welcome in a few hours."

"Oh, no, I won't take up that much of your time. Well, I might, but if I do, it's entirely your own fault."

"Well, spit it out, then!"

"I got a letter from my father yesterday. I've officially been disowned from any benefits my royal title would grant me. Father wanted to strip me off my title altogether, but apparently mother wouldn't let him, claiming that, whatever happened, I'd always be their son."

"Luckily for you, you have all the benefits of an Arendellian prince to make up for the loss of your Southern Isles-comfort."

"Yes, it doesn't change anything, since I was already living off your money," Hans smiled winsomely.

"Then why did you come all the way here to tell me?"

"Oh, no. I came here to ask you to allow me to interrogate your prisoner."

"Not a chance, Hans."

"Oh, Elsa, please? You've been going at him for three days, and you haven't gotten _anything_-"

"Thanks for rubbing it in," Elsa muttered dryly, already returning her attention to the scroll in her hands. "The prisoner is my responsibility."

"I have different methods to extract information, Elsa. I might succeed where you didn't. Believe it or not, frostbite and intimidation aren't the only ways to get someone to talk."

"Oh, and what did you plan to use?"

"I cannot divulge the spymaster's trade-secrets," Hans shrugged simply.

Elsa sighed dramatically. "Fine, Hans. You can have a go at him today. But _only _today, understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Hans said with a mock curtsy.

"Well, why are you still here?" Elsa asked after a few seconds of complete silence.

"I'm waiting for you to dispel the icy cold that scared everyone out of the dungeons."

"Oh… right."

* * *

Sitting on the throne was still something that made Anna feel anxious and uneasy. Elsa kept telling her everything was fine, and that she had already proven herself worthy of the position, but that didn't do anything to quell the uneasiness. Not even Elsa, sitting on the larger throne next to her, helped in that regard.

"Presenting, Her Royal Majesty Belle of France!" the herald called loudly, immediately after which the doors to the throne room opened and Belle came marching in – large, self-confident steps with her head held high – followed by a large group of soldiers wearing French colours.

"Welcome back to Arendelle," Elsa smiled after everyone had been dismissed. "How was France?"

"Not quite happy about being involved in a war they know nothing about, I imagine," Belle smiled wistfully. "As agreed, Adam is staying behind to rule and make sure our people don't mob outside _le château._ But France will stand with you, as promised," Belle assured them with a dip of her head. "Now, if you don't mind – it's been a long journey."

"Of course," Elsa smiled.

"Oh, one more thing? Would you happen to know where I might find Rapunzel? I have some… items, I need to give to her."

"Spoils from the bet on our engagement, I'm sure," Elsa murmured with a smirk. "I'm certain you'll find her near her chambers."

"Quite. _Merci, et, a__u revoir_."

No sooner had the doors closed or another knock already sounded, and the herald announced Queen Ariel of Denmark.

The red-haired queen came in much in the same fashion as Belle had done, a group of soldiers trailing behind her. "Queen Elsa, Lady Anna," she chimed sing-song while curtsying.

"Queen Ariel," Elsa nodded. "I must admit to having been surprised by your letter, announcing your return to Arendelle. I believe we had agreed that you would secure the seas north of your kingdom, rather than actively play part in the war here in Arendelle."

"Indeed, Your Majesty. However, my father and husband are taking care of that at this very moment, I imagine. I'm great on a ship, but I learned everything I know from my father, so there is no need to worry. We figured that it might be smart to have a back-up plan, in case everything goes awry here."

"We're listening."

"Well, imagine the unthinkable happens and Arendelle loses this war… The north would have unfettered access to your harbor and could set out to any kingdom they'd please to conquer. I discussed it with my husband, and he suggested erecting a blockade south of Arendelle – not to keep people out, but to keep people _in_."

"I see," Elsa murmured softly. "I think we can all agree that it is better to have it and not need it, than to need it but not have it. You have my permission to go ahead."

"Wait-" Anna interrupted, only realizing that she was interrupting the war council of two queens when it was already too late. None of them appeared dismayed, though.

"What is it, love?"

"I think we might want to inform our citizens of the blockade before we started placing ships within sight. If we don't they might consider it an act of war and start panicking, thinking we're being attacked from the south as well as the north."

"A valid point, indeed," Queen Ariel agreed. "I'd rather not have my ships blown to pieces due to a misunderstanding."

"Very well, have your ships wait out on sea for today. We'll ensure heralds announce the plan to the citizenry, and you can do as you deem necessary come sunrise tomorrow."

"That sounds like a solid plan," the Danish queen smiled, curtsying again before leaving the throne room.

"Good call, Anna," Elsa smiled as she got up from her throne and stroked Anna's cheek. "I should have thought of that."

"That's what you have me for, right?"

"Among other things, yes," the queen smiled, before being interrupted by Kai clearing his throat.

"Your Majesty, M'lady, Prince Hans wishes to have a word."

They both slumped back into their chairs, before correcting their posture and sitting up straight again. Kai looked like her had to suppress a small chuckle at that action, and Elsa waved her hand lazily, allowing Hans to come in.

The redhead prince looked considerably less happy than he had earlier that day. His pristine white suit was now smudged with dirt and grime and who-knew-what-else, and his hair was ruffled out of his usual hairdo. His face was red, and his shoulders somewhat slumped.

"Hans?" Anna asked, concern lacing her voice.

"I can't do it!"

"Can't do what?"

"Make him talk! I've never met _anyone_ who didn't want to shed all their secrets to me, either through my charming personality or… less refined methods, I _always_ get people to talk. _Always_."

"But not our current guest?" Elsa asked, both disappointed and amused.

"No. He's like a rock. He's staunchly loyal to his mistress, though I don't have a clue why."

"He's in love with her," a voice came from the entrance of the throne room. Everyone turned their heads in that direction, finding a disheveled looking woman standing there proudly. The guards were halfway through the process of removing her when Anna made the connection.

"Stand down, guards! That's Princess Rapunzel!"

The guards let the woman go as if they'd burned themselves, and when she came closer, it became apparent that Anna had been right. Rapunzel had exchanged her usual pink dress for a ragged grey tunic, her hair was hanging limply, rather than the usual immaculate hairdos, and her skin was covered with dust and mud. The only things that were as usual were Rapunzel's intelligent and inquisitive green eyes, and her bare feet – although those were dirtier than usual as well.

Hans crunched his nose, taking a discreet step backwards.

"Yes, I know I smell," Rapunzel sighed, rolling her eyes at the prince.

"Rapunzel, how do you know our prisoner is in love with this Lady Yuwin?" Anna asked, bringing the conversation back to what was relevant.

"He told me."

"What? How? Why? When?" Hans spluttered.

Rapunzel smiled apologetically. "I may have… er… run my own, separate investigation for the past three days," she shrugged with a sheepish smile.

"What?" Hans asked incredulously.

Elsa got up from her throne, raising her hand to shut everyone up. "Punz… what did you do?"

Rapunzel sat down on one of the two chairs Kai had placed for them. "Well, I knew he'd never talk to anyone through intimidation or force, so I dressed like this, and had some of my own guards escort me down to the dungeons and lock me up in the cell next to his. After a while, he asked what I was in for, and I told him that it was none of his business."

Elsa nodded, gesturing for Rapunzel to continue.

"After a few hours, I had my guards pick me up again, escort me out of the dungeons for 'interrogation' while I struggled. I applied some make-up to make it look like bruising, and returned the next day. He asked what I'd done again, so I told him I was being accused of using witchcraft to oppose the Crown. That piqued his interest."

"Wait, wait – I've been down in the dungeons every day, and I never saw you," Elsa interjected.

"Of course not. I knew you'd never approve of my idea, so I had to plan my visits to the dungeons in between yours. Merida was a great help in keeping you distracted while I was down there," Rapunzel explained. "Anyway, he told me he was accused of the same thing, more or less, and told me what he'd done. He sounded quite proud."

"Why didn't he recognize you?" Anna asked when Rapunzel fell silent to take a breath.

"He never actually saw me. I saw him entering the art gallery, and pointed the others in the right direction. But let me continue my explanation – Eventually, he started bragging about the Onyx Tower, and how there were 'many more like us' there, ready to do the Lady's bidding. I took a bit of a gamble, and told him I knew, because I had been there. At first he didn't believe me, but I used my tears to heal some of the frostbite he'd sustained – by the way, Elsa, it's _really_ cold down there – and he asked if Violet had sent me to rescue him. After I told him yes, he was all too happy to tell me whatever I wanted to know."

Elsa sighed, shaking her head. "You're right, Punz. I'd never have agreed to this. But since it's done now, you might as well share what you've learned."

"Well, Violet Yuwin only got her powers recently, but she has remarkable mastery over it. She used her charisma and her powers to build a small team of 'gifted individuals' around her, who do her bidding. He wasn't entirely clear about their powers, but there's one who seems invulnerable to any kind of magic. They're based at the Onyx Tower, as we already knew, but Yuwin has sent some of them out to scout the mountain passage leading into Arendelle, as well as the seas north of Denmark. She also sent several people to the Grey Gardens to see if she can get the Judge to back her up. They also have an Arendellian nobleman who came to them to take revenge on the Crown, then changed his mind, but got brainwashed. They plan to use him to get into the kingdom unnoticed. I think that's all. Oh, right – apparently, Violet Yuwin is _really_ pretty, if Clint is to be believed."

They all got up from their seats. Against everyone's expectation, Anna jumped forward and wrapped Rapunzel in a hug, whispering a thank you in her ear. Rapunzel seemed to understand, smiling gently as they parted.

Only for her expression to turn apologetic when she noticed the stains smattering Anna's dress.

* * *

"M'lady, your bath is drawn, is there anything else I might do for you?"

Anna rolled her eyes, taking one of her nightgowns from the armoire. "Really, Elsa, how would you like it if I started calling you 'Your Majesty' all the time?"

"Point taken, kitten," Elsa smiled, gently shepherding Anna to the bathroom. Anna started undoing her braids while Elsa loosened the corset of her dress. As soon as that job was done, the blonde bolted out of the bathroom. Anna chuckled as she lowered herself into the scalding hot water.

"Really, Elsa, there's no need to act like you're scared of me!" she teased through the closed door.

"Propriety needs to be observed, Anna," Elsa admonished gently.

"I don't remember you being worried about propriety when we were in the library!"

"There was no one to interrupt or see us there," Elsa said defensively.

"And you're expecting someone to come barging into my bathroom, of all places?"

"Well, no, but-"

"It's okay, Elsa," Anna laughed. "I'm just teasing you."

"Which isn't fair," Elsa lamented. "The thing I want to do most right now is storm in there and… well, you know… But I can't, because I'm the queen."

"All in good time," Anna laughed, coming up with an idea. She wetted her hair, letting it hang over her shoulders alluringly, slumped in the tub a little and raised one of her legs out of the water, exposing skin up to halfway her thigh.

"I'm decent now, though, so you can come in!" she giggled, biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud. Elsa stepped inside, her head turned the other way as she closed the door behind her. As soon as she turned around, she froze mid-movement, her eyes hungrily roaming from Anna's face, down to her shoulders, and then from her foot up to where her leg disappeared underneath the waterline.

Elsa's face was so incredibly, cutely flustered that Anna couldn't help but bark out a laugh. The sound seemed to spook Elsa out of her reverie, as she turned around to leave the bathroom again. Apparently having forgotten she closed the door, she slammed head-first into the sturdy wood, after which she staggered a few steps backwards, groaning and clutching her forehead.

"Elsa! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to- Here, let me help you," Anna said, lifting herself out of the water without thinking.

"ANNA, NO!" Elsa almost cried, turning her head the other way again.

"Oh, right…" Anna laughed apologetically.

"I'm alright! I'm fine. It didn't hurt that badly. It was mostly just really unexpected."

"Yeah… sorry about that."

Elsa removed her hands from her face, turning to face Anna again, who was now neatly submerged underneath the water. She giggled softly before saying anything. "It was completely worth it, to be honest."

Now it was Anna's turn to blush ferociously, suddenly feeling very self-aware. "T-thank you, moondrop."

"Here, turn around and let me wash your hair… And no more funny business, okay?"

"I'm not sure I can make that promise," Anna replied with a cheeky grin.


	20. Chapter 20

**And she arrives with another chapter. I know it's been a long time, but as promised, here's an update again. You people are the absolute best for having patience and putting up with me (that is, the people who don't send me messages to tell me I suck...) I know updates have been slow as of late. There is a chance of things speeding up sometime in the future, but again, I make no promises on that. Enjoy!**

* * *

"M'lady," the wavering voice came from behind her. She flicked her head around, raven-black hair swooshing through the air as her dark eyes fixated on the guard at the entrance to her chambers. The idiot who dared interrupt her quiet reveries. "There is a messenger for you. Gregor said to send him up, for the news is urgent."

She rolled her eyes. Of course _Gregor_ would think it to be urgent. Her forgetting about lunch was _urgent_ if one were to ask him. He was her staunchest supporter, yes, but he did get on her nerves more often than he should. They would have to have a conversation about that in the near future.

"Send him in, then."

The messenger, a man no older than twenty-five, looked positively frightened to be in her presence. Which was exactly how she liked people to be around her. Their fear was justified, after all. She _was_ dangerous, and people _should_ take note of that.

"What is it?" she sighed, not even bothering to face him.

"News from Arendelle, Milady," the man responded promptly, falling silent after that.

"Well, don't keep me waiting!" Violet snapped.

"Apologies, Milady. We have received news of an assassination attempt on Queen Elsa and her fiancée."

"What happened?"

"According to our sources, the pair was attacked by… empty suits of armour and a living statue."

She felt her powers gathering around her – anger manifesting as a black smoke that whirled around her frame, slowly rising from her feet, past her knees and towards her hips. _Clint_. The lovesick puppy had taken it upon himself to ruin everything once again. She didn't know why she had even kept him around after his previous failure. And she certainly wouldn't be as forgiving this time. She had clearly ordered him to observe.

"Did he succeed, at least?" she asked, her voice an echoing whisper around the room as her mist started to spread outwards.

"N-no Milady. Both the queen and her fiancée survived. In fact, there have been no reported casualties at all. And… the culprit has been imprisoned."

That was the final straw. With an enraged cry – audible even at the base of her tower – her powers exploded outwards in a shockwave of pitch-black mist. She could see the messenger being thrown backwards. She heard the clatter of the guards outside her chambers falling down the spiral staircase. She heard the cries of fear and panic coming from outside.

She could even see the birds falling out of the sky like droplets of rain.

* * *

"Lady Oaken, you had asked to see me?" Kai asked, bowing as he entered her office.

"Yes, Kai. Please, have a seat. I'm almost done with this."

Kai nodded, sitting down on the other side of the desk and patiently waiting while Anna read over the final paragraph of the document she was reading – a list of supplies requested by the Royal Kitchens. Who knew they went through so many ladles, pots, plates and pitchers?

As she finished the document, scribbling a little note in the upper-right corner to summarize it, she was already reaching out to the corresponding invoices. She needed to approve all of them, mark them down in the ledger, sign them, and then send them on their way to the Royal Treasurer. It was a mindless task, allowing her to talk to Kai at the same time.

"As you know, Queen Elsa and I have taken up the habit of working together in her library. I was wondering if there's a vacant room somewhere on this side of the castle that we can fashion into a joint study," she remarked, casually sorting through the invoices and signing those coming from the kitchens, while placing all the others on a different stack for later review.

"I am certain that we would be able to find such a room, Lord-Chamberlain," Kai smiled. "Have you discussed this with the queen yet?"

Anna shook her head, still poring over invoices, copying the relevant information into the giant ledger on the edge of her desk. "Not yet, Kai. I was planning to bring it up later today, but I wanted to make sure it was possible before putting any ideas in her head."

"A very wise course of action, I would say."

"I will ask her about it during breakfast," Anna commented, finally looking up from her work. "And I apologize for not giving you my full attention. It's just… it's a busy day, and the representatives from the outlying villages and cities will be coming in today, and Elsa wants me to meet them, and I need to meet with my father after that, and there's so much paperwork that needs to be done it is ridiculous."

"That's quite alright, Milady. I'm certain you have everything under control. Besides, I prefer you multi-tasking like this to being called here and watching you work for half an hour before you remember I'm even here," the older servant added with a sly grin.

"Yes, Elsa does have a tendency to forget about her surroundings when she gets into something, doesn't she?" Anna responded with an adoring smile.

"That she does, yes. Now, speaking of breakfast, is there any reason you're in your office at six in the morning?"

Anna gave him an apologetic chuckle. "Like I said, busy day."

* * *

Breakfast was served at eight, as usual. Elsa strode into the dining hall, appearing remarkably surprised to already find Anna seated at the humble table on which their breakfast had been spread out.

"Good morning, Moondrop," Anna smiled winsomely.

"Good morning, love," Elsa replied, stifling a yawn. "You look much more awake than usually at this time. Considering that, half the time, I need to come fetch you from your bedchambers."

Anna shrugged. "Having been awake for a few hours already tends to do that to a person."

Elsa arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "You've been awake…?"

"I got up at five today."

"Why?"

"Well, I hadn't planned on it, until yesterday. You asked me to be present for the arrival of the representatives, so I had to schedule that in. So I got up earlier so I could get all my planned work done."

Elsa sighed, shaking her head as she poured her tea. "Anna, if you were too busy, you could have told me so. I can introduce you to the representatives later."

Anna shook her head. "It would be strange for me not to be there when you greet them, though. And it's okay. I moved my meeting with the gardeners to later this afternoon. The interior decorators should be waiting for me after breakfast, and I have half an hour to instruct them on fixing the corridor where… you know, the attack happened, before meeting you in the throne room. After meeting the representatives, I have some more time to work on some paperwork, then I have some time to spend with my father, before meeting up with you again."

Elsa shook her head again. "Move the gardeners to tomorrow, then. And you don't necessarily have to spend time with me later today, either."

Anna mirrored her actions. "I _want_ to spend time with you. As much as possible. Which reminds me, joined studies, yes or no?"

The queen tilted her head to the side, halfway through the motions of taking a bite from her breakfast. "Say what?"

"I was thinking, since we work together in your library now, maybe we should combine our studies into one? Less hassle of moving our stuff around from one place to the other all the time, and it would eliminate the need for messengers between the two of us."

"It would also make meetings a little arduous, seeing as you would get distracted every time I meet some foreign dignitary in my study."

Anna smiled widely. "I don't mind, if you don't."

Elsa seemed to consider the idea for a moment, before giving a quick nod. "Very well. Do as you see fit."

* * *

Anna could practically feel herself vibrating with energy as she and Elsa made their way to the throne room. Once they reached the covert back-door, she could already hear the buzz from the gathered representative dignitaries.

"Frida," she called out before going inside. "Could you find Kai, tell him the plan for the study has been approved, and ask him to have someone draw up a list of necessities?"

"Of course, Milady," the servant said with a smile and a curtsy.

"And after that, you can go and see if Father brought Kristoff. If so, feel free to take the rest of the day off."

Anna didn't miss the blush Frida sported as she and Elsa made their way into the throne room. As soon as the gathered people noticed them, they got up from the chairs they had been seated in and bowed for their monarch.

"Please, everyone, at ease," Elsa smiled as she and Anna lowered themselves onto their thrones. "Thank you all for coming here on such short notice. We have some important news that needs to be shared. Before we get to that, though, I would like to introduce everyone who has not yet had the pleasure to my fiancée, Lady Anna of House Oaken."

There was a round of polite applause, several of the dignitaries smiling and nodding towards Anna. The redhead immediately spotted her father, the largest man in the room, as always. He was seated in the back, but despite the distance there was no way Anna could have missed his proud smile, which made her heart swell with affection.

"Now," Elsa continued, "I'm afraid we have to move on to less pleasant matters. As many of you have already heard, war is looming over Arendelle. Being the representatives of your communities, you have the right to know how things stand, so that you can pass this information on. Our opponent, housed in the Onyx Tower far to the north, has powers of magic, as do some of her companions. One of them is currently housed in our dungeons, after a botched assassination attempt."

That news caused an excited and concerned buzzing to fill the room, which Elsa cut off by raising her hand. "Do not worry, everything is under control. We have the support of many powerful allies – Corona, DunBroch, France, Denmark – and thanks to our prisoner, we have information on the plans and intentions of our enemies. No one can predict the future with absolute certainty, but at this point in time, there is no need for the population of Arendelle to be panicking."

That seemed to calm everyone down, allowing Elsa to make several announcements about the plans they had made – such as the barricade outside their harbour. It wasn't long after that Elsa sent the men and women away, reminding them of their meeting the next day.

As they filed out of the room, Anna turned to Elsa. "Well, I suppose I'm going back to my office to get more work done."

Elsa nodded wistfully. "I have a meeting with the Council. Otherwise, I think I'd have joined you."

Anna smiled. "Well, we'll have a combined study soon enough. Besides, you know I don't get any work done if you hover around in my office, being as distracting as you are."

Elsa smiled in return. "Are we still going for that walk when we're done?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Moondrop."

* * *

Anna had gotten up at five. Anna _never_ got up at five. And right now, she was being reminded of the reasons for that policy. She had a large stack of invoices to sort, as well as several letters from various members of the castle staff, all of them requesting _something_, without exactly knowing where that _something_ could be found or bought, and what the cost of that _something_ would be.

Nothing different from usual, of course.

But Anna had gotten up at five, and now her eyes were slowly starting to droop. She frequently found that her brain didn't quite absorb the information from the sentence she had just read, forcing her to read it a second – and sometimes a third – time.

She had hoped to get some extra work done today, with having more time. Now, it seemed, that had come back to bite her.

* * *

Two and a half hours had passed since she'd left the throne room. Which meant this meeting had been going for a little over two hours, now. And Elsa couldn't exactly say they had not achieved anything – that would be a blatant lie, because they _were_ being quite productive.

Nonetheless, she was about ready to just blindly sign any decree handed to her, just to be done with the mindless squabbling of the members of her Grand Council. Sometimes she found it hard to believe that _these_ men were supposed to _help_ her run this kingdom.

She would have an easier time believing someone who told her they were here merely to serve as an annoyance, or to make every decision as slow and tedious as possible.

"… no, no, I'm merely saying that, with the war effort, we _need_ to raise the taxes to accommodate for the expenses!"

"Yes, I get that, but really, the rate you are proposing is preposterous! Surely, you can't expect-"

"Now, now, let's not get asinine with one another. Why do we not just hold off on raising the taxes until we actually have expenses that need covering?"

"That is the most foolish idea I have heard all day, and that includes the _brilliant_ plan to try and train fish to be our spies!"

"It wasn't _that_ far a stretch!"

"There's _no_ water near the Onyx Tower, for heaven's sake!"

"Enough!" Elsa cut in, causing everyone to fall silent. "We will not be using fish as spies in this war. Now, on the point of raising the taxes… We'll wait."

"But, Your Majesty, if we don't-"

Elsa raised her hand, signalling she wasn't happy with the interruption.

"No. The Lord Chamberlain assures me the Crown has plenty funds to work with, for the time being. We can cover the initial expenses ourselves, and determine on a percentage for possible future tax increases when we know how much this war is going to cost us. Objections?"

"Not an objection, Your Majesty," one of them men offered. "I'd just like to point out that the Lord Chamberlain is new to her position and-"

"Lady Oaken is entirely proficient at the position she holds. To insinuate otherwise would be to disagree with a decision made by your queen, and to insult the subject of your decision," Elsa interrupted coolly. "Are you willing to make that claim?"

"Of course not, Your Majesty. I just wanted to make sure."

Elsa nodded. "Very well. Now you are sure." She paused for a moment, eyes scanning the document in front of her. "If I am not mistaken, that is all for today?"

Elsa was surprised to see none of the council members agreeing with her. It was, frankly, the only time in the entire meeting all of them seemed to agree. She sighed silently. "I see. What is it, then?"

One of the men got up from his seat. "Your Majesty, we do hope you do not take this the wrong way-"

"I cannot make any promises on that," Elsa groused quietly, though she was certain most of the men in the room heard her.

"It's just… the people are wondering. You and Lady Oaken announced your engagement some time ago, and the common rabble is very much looking forward to the festivities."

"Anna and I made it clear that we will have an extended engagement. It is not uncommon for royalty to be engaged for several years before entering marriage."

"Very true indeed, my Queen. We are not urging you to rush your engagement. We'd merely like to know what we should tell the people."

"With all due respect," one of the other members chimed in. "I think it is worth noting that, in these troubled times, a royal marriage might be exactly what we need. It boosts morale among the people. Shows them there are still happy and good things in their lives. It's also a good signal to our allies and enemies alike. Show them that we are not afraid. That we do not put our lives on hold because of the threat in the north!"

Again, everyone seemed to agree, and the councilmen were soon involved in a discussion on the pros and cons of the royal marriage. Elsa did not bother to cut them off, too absorbed in her own mind.

She was not opposed to marrying Anna as soon as the arrangements would allow. She'd never _really_ been opposed to marrying Anna. Of course, she had been in favour of getting to know each other better. But with every passing moment they spent together, Elsa had become more and more certain that Anna was _the one_.

She couldn't imagine marrying anyone else.

The only reason _she_ didn't rush into marriage this very instant was the fact that Anna needed time. Time to get used to life at the castle. Life as a noble. Life with Elsa. If she were to bring this up to Anna, two things could happen. Either Anna would feel pressured into marrying her sooner rather than later, and agree. If that were to happen, though, there was the chance of her not being as happy as she deserved. The second possibility was, quite possibly, even worse. It _could_ scare Anna off.

Elsa only snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the councilmen discussing possible festivities and the funding required. "Gentlemen! Please!"

The men fell silent, looking at Elsa as if they'd forgotten their queen was still present at the meeting.

"You seem to forget that it is _my_ engagement, and _my_ marriage you are discussing. Hence, the decision is _mine_. I assure you that… I will discuss the matter with my fiancée. We will only reach a decision _after_ that has happened. And that is final."

Elsa was both relieved and surprised when all the members of her council seemed to agree to that.

* * *

The snow and ice was whipping around her, the white powder reducing visibility to a bare minimum. The sheer force of the gale that blew into her from all sides was strong enough to push her off her course. Combined with the near-zero visibility, that made navigation as good as impossible.

But she could still sense. She could sense the constant presence of her anchor, her keeper, her saviour, far, far off in the distance. It wasn't moving right now, and thus she could use it to find her way.

To where, she didn't know. Not yet.

She would know when she found it. Of that, she was certain.

And she would have to hurry too. She could not afford being gone for too long. She had other duties, important duties, that had been entrusted to her.

A powerful gust sent her veering off to the left, bringing her close to a steep, ice-covered slope. Navigating and working in circumstances like these were her specialty, but right now, she was having a hard time.

She bowed her head downwards, taking in the scene underneath her. Mountains and valleys gliding by as if someone was pulling them away from underneath her. She was high. Too high.

Too high to see.

Descending was easy enough, though. She expected the winds to become weaker when she did. Oddly enough, they did not. If anything, they became stronger, more treacherous.

There was no constant direction of the wind. It was strange.

It was good.

She was close, she knew it.

Was certain of it.

She picked up her speed, navigating slopes, cliffs and crevices.

Eventually, by sheer luck, she found it. It was right underneath her, seemingly at the heart of the tempest that had been tossing her around for hours now.

Enclosed by four walls, too steep for any man to climb or descent, with no apparent way through, was what she had been looking for.

It didn't look like much. Just three small, single-floor buildings against the side of the mountain.

But it was everything she had been looking for.

* * *

Anna woke from her slumber because of a discreet clearing of someone's throat. She felt a piece of paper sticking to her forehead, the wet ink most likely having left an impression on her skin. She neglected it in favour of recalling her dream.

She had been _so_ cold, and _so_ tired.

Yet it had felt like she had actually accomplished something important.

Vague flashes of snow, ice, rock and skies crossed her mind in a haze, before coming to a screeching halt upon the image of a desolate, remote building, somewhere deep within the mountain range.

_Could it be?_

"Getting up earlier did not sit well with your constitution, I assume?"

Anna looked up from her desk, wiping the ink from her forehead, to see a smirking Kai standing in front of her.

"Wasn't there a rule about not being allow to tease me?" Anna groused, frantically rubbing at her forehead.

For all his glee, Kai at least managed to look a little apologetic. "There is. But I do believe you asked me to ignore that rule. Repeatedly," he smiled, taking a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping Anna's forehead clean.

"Right. That might have been a mistake."

Kai smiled down at her. "For what it's worth, I've caught Elsa sleeping at her desk repeatedly over the past year. And I shan't tell anyone what I saw today."

The redhead shot him a grateful smile. "Thank you. Now, what can I do for you?"

"You are supposed to be meeting your father in… well, five minutes ago. Shall I send him here?"

"Yes, please."

Kai and her father entered her study so quickly that Anna was quietly convinced that he had already been waiting right outside. She chose not to comment on it, though, instead taking the time to lean back in her chair and smirk at her father as he took his surroundings in.

"Lady Oaken, I have the list of requisitions for the plans we discussed earlier," Kai said, placing them on her desk and silently leaving the two of them alone.

Anna quickly stopped gloating, getting up from behind her desk and wrapping her arms around her father. "I missed you, Papa," she murmured into his chest.

"I missed you too," her father returned softly. "You are well, ya?"

"Yes," Anna beamed, letting go again, and moving back to her seat. "I am the happiest I've ever been."

Her father nodded happily, waving his hands around. "And all this, this is all yours, hm?"

"Yes, this is my study."

"Very impressive. Lots of work, too, I see," he added, motioning to all the papers on the desk.

"Comes with the territory. How is Kristoff?"

"Your brother is doing well, too. He's out in the town, shopping with your handmaiden. But you knew this, no?"

Anna nodded, her smile betraying what they both already knew. "They are a good fit. They just need to figure it out themselves."

They spent over fifteen minutes catching up on everything they had missed in each other's lives, before her father finally got to the point of his visit.

"I had hoped you could help me, but I see you are very busy now, hm?"

Anna pushed some invoices to the side. "I'm never too busy to help out, Papa. You know that, right?"

"Of course, of course. It's only finances of the farm. Nothing Kristoff and I cannot handle, ya?"

Anna chuckled darkly. "Papa, if it is finances of the farm, I am quite certain it is _everything_ you and Kristoff can't handle. You've never had to handle all that yourselves. Mama and I always handled it."

Her father produced a familiar folder from the bag next to his seat, gingerly placing it on Anna's desk.

"When will you be leaving?"

"Three days from now," her father smiled.

Anna nodded. "I'll make sure to look everything over and note down some instructions."

They talked for a while longer, Anna inviting her family for dinner with her and Elsa the next day, before saying their goodbyes, Anna headed for Elsa's study while her father headed to his room to get ready for an official state dinner with the other representatives.

* * *

"So, I was thinking, maybe we could go and have a walk through the garden?" Anna asked, linking her arm through Elsa's as they walked out of the corridor.

"Sounds good, yes," Elsa breathed. "How was your day?"

Anna frowned slightly at the tension in Elsa's arm. Her fiancée was no stranger to being tense, but that tension usually faded away as soon as they went to unwind together. Right now, though, the blonde's arm was not relaxed. In fact, it was so tense it almost trembled.

"My day was fine. Fell asleep at my desk, though. Apparently, I'm not used to waking up early."

Elsa snickered. "I could have told you that, Anna."

"How was _your_ day, then?"

Elsa smiled, but Anna noticed it seemed a little forced. "My day was… fine. I think 'fine' is the right word to use."

Anna frowned as they stepped out into the garden. "Something you want to talk about?"

Elsa shook her head slightly. "Something we _need _to talk about," she corrected.

"Business?"

"Hm, sort of. Not really. But yes."

Anna mulled the response over in her head several times, trying to figure out what Elsa meant, seeing as the blonde did not elaborate any further. She wasn't entirely certain how she came to the answer, but didn't question it too much. Honestly, she was just happy that she'd gotten to the answer in the first place.

"So, it's about our engagement, then?"

Elsa looked shocked, and frightened, and surprised. Which caused Anna some worry.

"Are you calling the engagement off?" she asked, dreading the answer.

The question seemed to snap Elsa back in reality, though the look of surprise remained. "What? No! Of course not, Anna. What on earth made you think that?"

Anna felt a smile break through, mostly from sheer relief. "I don't know, Elsa. Maybe it had something to do with you looking like you were about to give me the worst news imaginable. Which is clearly not the case."

Elsa also chuckled, some of the tension clearly fading. "It's a complicated matter. Can we discuss it some other time, please?"

Anna nodded. "As long as you're not calling it off, that's fine by me."

They walked on in silence, both more comfortable than they had been before. Once they came to the deepest part of the gardens and prepared to walk back, they heard a loud, swooshing noise above them.

They twisted their necks upwards, just in time to see a figure of ice landing in front of them with the grace and elegance that only Elsa's creations seemed to exhibit.

"Newa!" Anna cried out, lunging forward and swinging her arms around the griffin's neck. As soon as her skin came into contact with the ice, several images flashed through her head. Ice. Snow. Wind. Mountains. _Buildings_.

Anna had forgotten all about her dream, but everything suddenly fell into place.

"Elsa!" she gasped, turning towards the blonde.

"Newa found the temple!"


	21. Chapter 21

**Alright everyone. Here's another chapter. It took me a while to get it out, but it is considerably longer than most of the other chapters. It was also a big pain to write, because this chapter is where a lot of stuff is revealed, and I had pages upon pages of notes on this stuff, and it was a bit of a hassle to sort through it and make it into a proper narrative that might be slightly enjoyable. I also decided to change my plans for some things up last minute, which really didn't help the writing process, but at least it made me feel like I was going the right way with this story, instead of desperately clinging to my original plans, which were a little... uh... well... yeah.**

**For this chapter more than ever, I would like to urge you to leave me a review with your thoughts, as well as any questions and/or concerns you have, so that I may clarify/answer/address them in the next chapter, or any chapter following on that. It all seems crystal clear in my head, but I know how my head works, and you people do not, so it might be weird or muddled or complete gibberish (let's hope it is not the last, at least.)**

**So, having gotten that out of the way, enjoy!**

* * *

Anna was not sure what she had expected when Elsa declared she would immediately gather her War Council. Apparently, that was something that took less than half an hour, which was approximately the time Anna spent in her office – with Newa, even though that felt odd beyond words – before Elsa came knocking on her door again.

"Everyone's gathered in the throne room, Fireblossom," Elsa smiled anxiously, watching Anna getting up from her desk and waving Newa to come along.

"Fireblossom, huh? Is that one going to stick?"

Elsa shrugged with a sheepish smile. "I believe I'm quite fond of it."

They walked on in silence, the tension between them rising higher as they listened to the fragile sound of Newa's icy paws following them. "It feels strange, does it not?" Anna asked eventually. "To be talking of pet names while on our way to meet your War Council?"

Elsa murmured in the affirmative. "But it's not necessarily bad, right?"

"Right," Anna nodded, taking a deep breath as they stood in front of the large oak doors.

Anna was not sure what she had expected. But she _did_ know it had not been this. There was a large group of soldiers seated around a round table, all of them yelling, shouting and squabbling with, and to, one another. Around the table was another table, slightly higher, where the royal guests were all seated.

Merida was rocking her chair, legs resting on the polished wood as she lazily polished her bow. Belle, to her right was quietly immersed in a large, heavy book, clearly not aware of her surroundings at all. Hans was picking a piece of food from between his teeth, scrunching his face at the mirror as he attempted to reach it. Rapunzel seemed entirely occupied with brushing her hair, and Ariel appeared to be either sleeping, or dead.

Anna really hoped she was sleeping.

Clearly, this had not been what Elsa had expected either. Anna noticed the deep, groaning sigh, and the way Elsa fingers came up to her face and pinched the bridge of her nose. Anna understood entirely, it would take them at least fifteen minutes to get everyone's attention focused.

Unless… but no, that was a crazy idea.

She felt Newa's cold head pushing into her back, and when she turned her head to face her, she noticed the icy griffin canting her head to the side, as if asking a question. Which was odd, because Anna was fairly certain Newa wasn't capable of reading her mind.

She gave an almost imperceptible nod of her head, and immediately, Newa dipped her head as well, proudly strutting forward as she slowly unfolded her wings. Before anyone could react – or even realise what was happening – Newa had taken off, releasing an earth-shattering cry as she landed on the middle of the round table.

The entire room had fallen silent in a heartbeat, and even Anna hadn't thought her idea would be this effective. For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was Merida pulling her chair off the ground and re-taking her seat, eyes firmly fixed on the griffin at the centre of the room, which was now idly looking around.

Anna had to give Elsa credit as she waved Newa back over to her. The Queen looked as calm and collected as ever, her face entirely neutral. Almost as if there hadn't been a giant ice sculpture that had just leapt onto the meeting table and scared her War Council half to death.

"Well then. Now that we have your attention," the queen spoke up as she walked towards the throne, Anna dutifully trailing behind her. "We have some important news to share."

"Aye, but maybe next time you can keep yer bloody beast outside?" Merida grumbled with a scowl.

In response, Elsa merely shrugged. "I had nothing to do with that. Newa seems to favour Anna over me."

All eyes now on Anna, the redhead sent an apologetic grin around the table. "You were giving Elsa a headache, and this was the easiest way to get your attention," she mumbled, clearly not as apologetic as her smile had suggested.

With everyone sitting in quiet anticipation, Elsa took a deep breath. "Anna has found the temple."

"_We_ have found the temple," Anna corrected her gently, causing Elsa to roll her eyes.

"_Newa_ found the temple," they chimed, both at the same time, to everyone's amusement.

Hans raised his eyebrows. "Newa? Found the temple?"

Anna gave a resolute nod. "She's been flying around the mountain range all morning. She must have sensed there was something there we needed to find. When she came back, she showed me where it was."

All the generals appeared to be dumbfounded by the information, clearly not as used to the magical going-on in the kingdom. Most of the royals just nodded contemplatively. "And now you intend to… go there?" Belle asked eventually.

Elsa nodded. "The sooner we can learn more about our magic, the better. We really don't have time to waste."

Some of the generals immediately started protesting, claiming it was too dangerous for their queen and her fiancée to travel into the mountains like that, and that they should allow the generals to undertake the journey for them.

Before Elsa could respond to that, Anna had already raised her hand to cut them off. "Gentlemen," she started, "while we appreciate your dedication to our safety, this is a journey we need to take ourselves. After all, we will learn nothing of our magic, and the bond between it, if we do not go ourselves. I might be mistaken, but I am fairly certain none of you possess magical qualities."

The generals nodded reluctantly, accepting Anna's logic.

"They _are_ right, though," Rapunzel murmured. "I know better than to try and persuade you two not to go. But at least do me this one favour: wait until tomorrow. It is dark out, and while the mountains are dangerous by daylight, they are treacherously deadly during the night."

"We can't waste time, Rapunzel," Elsa objected immediately. "I – we – have a kingdom to keep safe."

"We all do," Belle fell in. "But doing that will be much more _difficile_ if the two of you are dead."

For a few seconds, there was a stare-down between Elsa and the rest of the occupants around the table. The attention only shifted when Anna sighed. "We'll leave at sunrise tomorrow, then," she nodded. "And not a moment later."

There was some back and forth between some of the generals for a moment, but it appeared as if everyone was willing to accept the current compromise. It wasn't long before everyone started filing out of the room, and Elsa took Anna's arm, slowly escorting her towards her chambers.

"Congratulations on leading your first War Council," Elsa smiled, gently squeezing Anna's arm.

"I didn't lead the-"

"You spoke at least five times as many words as I did, love. I'm quite certain that means you led the meeting."

"You're not upset about anything I did?" Anna asked, insecurities surfacing.

Elsa opened the door to Anna's chambers, gently pushing her inside before cupping the redhead's face into her hands and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm proud of you, Fireblossom… though maybe you should keep Newa outside next time."

Anna grinned cheekily. "If Newa and I hadn't caught their attention the way we did, we'd still be sitting in the throne room."

"That is true," Elsa murmured, turning towards the window to close the curtains and give Anna some privacy as she ducked behind the dressing screen and started unlacing her dress. "How did you tell her to do it anyway?"

Anna released an annoyed huff. "Come on, you silly little… Come loose already! Oh, um, well, you see, funny story. I think Newa and I have a deeper connection than we thought."

"What makes you think that?" Elsa asked, still facing the window.

"Well, when Newa was out in the mountains, I fell asleep in my office. I dreamt that I was flying through the mountain range. I dreamt that _I_ found the temple. Then I forgot all about it until I touched her again in the gardens. And later, in the throne room, I was thinking to myself 'wouldn't it be nifty if I could just tell Newa to shut them all up at once?' and then Newa looked at me as if she understood, and I just sort of nodded, wondering what would happen. And BOOM! There she went!"

Elsa chuckled at Anna's lively retelling. "I guess we will just add that to the heap of questions we need to sort through," she murmured softly.

"Yeah," Anna huffed. "Right now, I have another question though."

"And what might that be?"

"Could you get over here and help me out of my dress? I think… Well, Frida isn't here, and I may have… ahem. Done something… wrong?"

Elsa swiftly moved back towards the dressing screen, slowing down considerably as she got closer. "Are you decent?"

"Idonno," came the muffled reply from behind the screen. "Cannesee."

Elsa stepped behind the screen, trying her hardest not to laugh at her fiancée. Anna had somehow managed to get tangled up in her dress, and now looked like a mess of cloth, hair, laces and skin. "Okay, hold still for a moment, Anna. Stop struggling," Elsa instructed, laughter evident in her voice.

"Are you laughing at me?" Anna groused as her face came uncovered.

"Only slightly," Elsa conceded. "But really, can you blame me?"

Anna turned her head towards the mirror, her hair getting caught on something. "No, I suppose not," she winced in reply.

"Okay, okay. Stop moving, now. I'll have you out of that dress in no time."

Anna grinned back at her. "How long have you been waiting to say that?"

Elsa spluttered for a moment, turning as red as Anna's hair, before coming up with a half-way decent reply. "How long have you been waiting for me to say that?" she countered.

Anna considered her reply for a moment. "For propriety's sake, I think we should not continue this conversation until we're married," Anna grinned cheekily.

"Fair enough. Though I really start to hate propriety," Elsa grumbled, pulling on a few of the strings of Anna's corset, attempting to figure out which would get the garment to loosen. Before she could prepare herself, the entire thing came loose from around Anna's body, pooling around her feet onto the floor, and bringing Elsa face to face with the skin of Anna's perfectly-toned back.

"Anna, where's your chemise?" Elsa asked, having expected to find another layer of clothing before reaching Anna's skin and undergarments.

Anna chuckled. "Judging by the fact it isn't on me, I'm guessing somewhere on the floor."

Elsa hardly heard the response, entirely occupied by trailing her hands down from Anna's shoulders, along her spine and ribcage, until she reached the small of her back. "I… see," she mumbled, voice strained.

When she suddenly felt the redhead's hands taking a hold of her own, she finally snapped out of it. "Oh my… I'm so sorry, Anna. I'll be on the other side of the screen."

To Elsa's surprise, however, Anna did not let go of her hands. Instead, she gently moved them to her sides, soft skin gliding underneath the blonde's fingers as Anna settled her hands on the underside of her ribcage, before slowly trailing them downwards, stopping around the height of her belly-button.

"Normally," Anna's voice came with a slight catch, "I'd take this opportunity to tease you relentlessly. Instead, I'll spare us both the embarrassment, be a good girl and go to bed."

And just like that, she was gone. Elsa shook herself out of her daze, picking up the discarded dress and chemise and straightening them out, before hanging them over the rack for Anna's handmaiden to deal with. When she stepped out from behind the screen, Anna was snuggled into her pillows, safely covered by the duvet.

As usual, Elsa took her seat in the chair next to the bed. "Anna? What just happened?"

Anna shrugged carelessly, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Not as much as I'd liked," she winked. "You helped me out of my dress, and then you rubbed all of the stress of today out."

Elsa gave an exasperated chuckle. "I can't wait to be married to you."

"Me neither. Speaking of our marriage-"

"Not tonight, please?"

Anna nodded understandingly.

"Will you read to me?"

* * *

'Leaving at sunrise, and not a moment later' turned out as 'waking at sunrise, falling asleep again, waking up hungry, having a quick breakfast and finally leaving somewhere around ten.'

Anna would have loved to say it hadn't been her fault. But it had. Really, it had all been her fault. But no one seemed to mind terribly, least of all Elsa, who just seemed very pleased that Anna had gotten a good night of rest.

"Do you want a guard detail to escort you, Your Majesty?" one of the generals asked as they gathered in the courtyard.

"No, thank you. That will not work out well. Anna's told me that it is practically impossible to reach the temple by foot. Which is why Prince Hans has been unable to locate it, despite his best efforts."

"Then how-"

"We will be flying, of course," Anna chirped happily, waving over at Newa, who was circling around one of the castle's towers.

"M'lady, there is now way it can see you from-"

His sentence was cut short when Newa landed closely behind him, a loud _thump_ and a soft chortle indicating the beast's presence.

"You were saying, General?" Anna asked with some mirth.

"Nothing, m'lady. Nothing at all."

Newa lowered herself to the ground, allowing Anna and Elsa to easily climb onto her back. There was some short discussion about safety and regulations – neither of which permitted the Royal Guard to let the queen fly off on a griffin of her own making – but Elsa waved their concerns away. "We'll return before nightfall."

And just like that, they were off, cold wind rushing past them as Newa gained altitude. Her giant wings moved steadily, and Anna dared a quick downward glance, seeing the castle – and the city itself – shrinking beneath them, before slowly disappearing behind the trees that formed the woods in-between the mountains and the city of Arendelle.

"Are you cold, Anna?" she heard Elsa yelling from behind her.

"No! You?" she replied, raising her voice to be heard over the whooshing of the wind.

"The cold doesn't bother me!"

"Me neither!" Anna laughed back, gently patting Newa's head.

It wasn't long before Newa arrived at the mountain range, where the wind picked up considerably, freeing the ladies' hair from their constraints, and seemingly coming from all directions at the same time, then only from the east, then suddenly from the west, and so on.

Quite honestly, both were happy when they felt Newa descending, and hardly an hour had passed when her icy paws made contact with an immaculately paved courtyard. Newa lowered herself again, allowing Elsa and Anna to gently slide off her back.

"Wait here for us, okay girl?" Anna cooed, gently stroking Newa's flank. The icy griffin dipped its head before unceremoniously dropping down onto the stone and tucking her head underneath a wing. "Well, I'm guess someone's trying to say we're so heavy we tired her out…" Anna murmured with a frown before joining Elsa.

The blonde was standing in front of a fountain, which looked like it hadn't been active in decades, and looked around. "This place appears to have been abandoned some time ago."

Anna let her gaze wander as well, taking in the ragged banners, the crumbling statues, and the cracks in what had appeared to be a perfect courtyard. "Do you think we came all this way for nothing?"

"Let us hope not," Elsa muttered darkly, taking a hold of Anna's hand and striding towards the doors of the largest of the three buildings.

When they were about halfway through, the massive stone doors suddenly started to swing open. Elsa and Anna stopped dead in their tracks, watching as two men in rich, purple gowns and hoods came walking outside, before a third one followed them, taking up a position in between the other two.

"Queen Elsa, Lady Anna. Welcome to the Temple of the Old Magic."

"You know us?" Elsa asked hesitantly.

The man in the middle stepped forward as he lowered his hood to reveal his face. "Indeed I do, Your Majesty. We all do."

"You!" Anna blurted out. "You're the old man that told us about this place!"

The man chuckled. "It is not quite polite to call someone old, but yes, you are correct. Now, I know why you are here. If you'd follow me, I'll bring you to someone who has answers."

The outside of the Temple proved to be remarkably deceptive. It had appeared as three small buildings, nestled into the side of the mountain. It was, in reality, however, one large complex consisting of numerous tunnels that dug deep into the kingdom's highest mountain.

"So, if you knew where this place was, why did you not just tell us?" Anna asked the old man as they walked after him.

"I was instructed to put you on the right path, but I was also told that you two needed to find this place on your own. A discovery holds no worth if it is provided instead of made."

"So, you supposedly know nothing about magic, despite working in a magic Temple?"

"That is correct, Lady Oaken. I live here, and I welcome visitors. That is all, if one does not count the cleaning duties."

"Welcome visitors? You get those often?"

The man chuckled, opening a door to their right. "You are the first to come here in my lifetime."

"I bet that must get lonely," the redhead muttered silently.

"Not really. I have the other priests. We are like a family."

Elsa hummed. "How long has this Temple been here? And do you know anything of its history?"

Still walking through winding corridors, the man hummed. "This Temple has been here for as long as history can remember. It wasn't always hidden away, like it is now. Long ago, when magic was still common and accepted by all, this was a place for those who had trouble mastering or understanding their gifts. People from all over the world came here for guidance.

Over time, the occurrence of magic started to decline, and those that did not have the gift grew envious of those who did. According to the ancient texts, a war broke out, wiping out nearly all of the gifted. The leader of this Temple, the grandfather of our current leader, decided that we would cut ties with the world, and only help those who proved themselves worthy."

Elsa was ready to fire off the next question, but the old man shushed her, his hand on the knob of a door that looked even older than the rest of the temple. "The master waits inside," was all he said, before opening the door and motioning them to enter.

On the other side of the door, they found a spacious, circular room, lit by candles, and with moss seeming to cover every inch of it – ranging from the usual shades of green to odd shades of pink, purple and even orange.

What they didn't find was a master of any kind.

"Should we go back outside and tell them no one's here?" Anna asked, idly walking around the room, "there' just a bunch of-"

"ROCKS!" a voice suddenly cried out loudly. "They always compare us to ROCKS!"

"Shush, little one! Do you not know who they are?" another voice, this one female, responded.

Elsa and Anna looked at each other with bewildered expressions as the rocks continued their argument.

"How should I know who they are? There's never ANYONE here!"

"They are the Queen and her fiancée. They are here to see-"

"Everyone," a calm voice intoned suddenly, deeper and more solemn than all the voices that came before. "Out."

Their bewilderment only grew when nary all of the stones suddenly started shifting, before rolling off into one direction, where they all tumbled through a small hole in the floor, leaving a horrendous ruckus in their wake. When they took the time to look around the room again, there was only one rock left, sitting silently on a pedestal in the centre of the room, illuminated by a single beam of light.

"Come closer, children," the rock spoke as he too started to shift, hands and feet suddenly becoming visible, soon followed by a nose and eyes. "You have come a long way to find me, Your Majesty," the rock smiled.

"You're a-"

"A troll, yes."

"You're supposed to be extinct," Elsa spoke, sounding vaguely accusing.

"You're supposed to be unable to reach us," the troll countered good-naturedly.

"We had help."

"So did we."

There was a heavy, lingering silence that clung to the three of them as they waited to see who would be the first to speak. Eventually, the troll opened his mouth. "Flying in on a griffin made out of ice is quite fanciful. Don't think I've seen anyone do that before."

The sentence was spoken so casually that both Elsa and Anna erupted into a fit of giggles, causing the old troll to smile as well. "There, there. Broken the ice, no pun intended. There is really no need for us to be tense around one another. We all want each other's help, after all."

"What do you mean?" Elsa inquired.

"You want information on your magic, we want the witch in the north to be stopped. She gives magic a bad name."

"Can you give us the information we seek?"

The troll gave a small nod. "Some of it, I can. Some of it, I cannot. But the information will be gained nonetheless. There are older beings than me that can be approached here."

Anna nodded eagerly. "Alright Mr…"

"Call me Pabbie," the old troll chuckled. "Grand Pabbie."

"Alright, Mister Pabbie-"

"_Just_ Pabbie, please, m'lady."

"_Just_ Anna, please," Anna returned good-naturedly. "Please, Pabbie, tell us everything you can?"

The troll took a deep breath, hopping off his pedestal. "Very well then. Let's see, where shall I start? Ah, yes, yes. Best to start at the beginning. As it always is, isn't it? It is, yes it is. Let's see… The origin of magic."

"Must we really go back quite that far?" Elsa asked, slightly disbelieving.

"Yes, yes. We really must go back quite that far. That is, if you want to understand. Now, long, long, long, long, long, long-"

"We get it, Pabbie," Anna laughed. "It was very long ago."

"Well, yes," Pabbie smiled in return. "Long ago, the world was not quite as it is now. There were rocks and trees, mountains and seas, lakes and canyons. But there were no humans or trolls. We only came much, much later. But the world was not empty. It was inhabited by beings of immense power. Beings that shaped the world as they desired it, living together in harmony. Living together in strife. Not at the same time, obviously. They were much like humans in that way. Never quite content. But that's another story entirely, mind you.

These beings were so powerful, they could freeze the world in a heartbeat, and thaw it out in the next. They could raise mountains, create seas. They _literally_ shaped the world as we know it now. But, deep down, these beings knew it would not last. They were too powerful to exist as they did.

Eventually, one of them rose up from the others, more magnificent and more powerful than any who had come before. He, or she, decreed that this world – our world – was no longer fit for them, and that they would leave it. Of course, they were too powerful to die as humans and trolls do. But each of them gave a piece of themselves to the Magnificent One – willingly or forced, for not all were happy with this development – and after they did so, they ascended to a higher state of being.

The Magnificent One bundled these pieces, these essences of the Great Ones, and used it to create us. You. _Everything._ Humans and trolls, fish and horses, birds and bugs and everything in between.

That was a time of growth, exploration and genteel development. Humanity grew rapidly, of course, as it always has. And in time, it appeared that the essences of the Great Ones surfaced in some of them. Quite a lot of them, actually. Back in those days, it was not uncommon for humans to manipulate the elements as you do, Your Majesty. Some had great power and great control. Some had very little power, and still less control. Some had great power, and no control at all.

But it was normal, and accepted. And in time, we trolls founded this temple, where young humans came if they needed to learn about their gifts. Many techniques were developed, of which very few are still in existence now, alas.

But times grew darker, humans grew greedy and envious. The amount of gifted humans dropped, and they were soon a vast minority. Still, thousands of them, and still overshadowed by the millions. And these 'pure' humans grew envious of the gifted ones. They tried to steal their power; they failed. Then, they decided that if they could not have it, no one could.

They took the slaughtering the users of magic. Many died on both sides, and magic went all but extinct. My grandfather was an old troll when this happened, gifted with the power of Gaeia, one of the Great Ones, he raised the cliffs and mountains that now surround us. He cut us off from the world, so that we may continue to live.

Magic declined further, until a point where there was hardly a single user of magic in each kingdom. That is the time in which we live now. You, Elsa, and you, Anna, both carry the essence of a Great One inside you. You are gifted with their power."

Elsa and Anna reached out for each other's hands, waiting for the rest of the story. Pabbie seemed deep in thought for a moment, before he turned and hobbled towards one of the walls. "Long ago, shortly after the Great Ones left this world to us, it was not uncommon for there to still be contact. They took many forms, they did. Some claimed to have spoken to a beautiful watery nymph – but only those with mastery over water. Some claimed to have met speaking flowers, but only those with mastery over their growth. My grandfather often spoke of Gaeia, claiming to have met her – him – it- several times during his own lifetime.

They were on good terms, apparently. And he was given a gift, its worth beyond measure."

"What was it?" Anna asked breathlessly.

Pabbie chuckled. "A mirror." Before either of the women could interrupt, he continued. "But not one like you have at the castle. Although, I'm sure those are also quite valuable and beautiful. No, this mirror allows those with the essence of a Great One to communicate with their… let's call it an ancestor, for lack of a better word."

With a single wave of Pabbie's hand, one of the walls disintegrated into dust, revealing a large pane of what appeared to be liquid glass. "If anyone can answer questions about your magic, it is the source of that magic. Depending on who they are, though, they might not be very talkative. This, I am afraid, is the best I can offer."

Both girls nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Pabbie. It is more than we could have asked for."

The troll smiled. "Keep in mind, the mirror only works for one person at a time. While you will see your Great One in the mirror, we will only see your reflection, like we would in any old regular mirror. I assure you it is quite a remarkable sight to see someone talking to their own, normal reflection as if it actually replies. I have learned not to laugh, though," he added with a wink.

"Also, the mirror _summons_ your connected Great One, but they themselves decide what they want to say, and how long they want to remain in contact. It is possible that they simply look at you, roll their all-seeing eyes and disappear. It would not be the first time."

They both nodded in understanding. "Very well then. Your Majesty, perhaps it would be best for you to start. I do think I have a relatively good idea of who you might meet."

Elsa nodded, letting go of Anna's hand and stepping in front of the mirror, still attempting to wrap her mind around everything that had been revealed to her just now. It was a lot to take in. For several long moments, she was just staring into her own blue eyes, wondering if this old thing even worked.

And then the image shifted. The wall behind her seemed to take the shape of an elaborate chair, her white hair seemed to release itself from its braid, growing shorter and covering parts of her face as her posture – long, slender and straight – seemed to fold in on itself.

And then, she was suddenly looking at the image of an old man, hair white as snow, with a moustache and beard of the same shade, sitting on a throne and leisurely tapping his cane onto the ground.

"It has been so long since someone summoned me, I _almost_ don't mind," the old man sighed, frowning at Elsa. "You better have a damn good reason, missy."

Elsa arched an eyebrow, obviously not used to being spoken to like this. She did, however, remember who she was talking to, and decided that she would not bother being indignant about silly trivial things. "Who are you?"

The old man sighed. "Always the first question they ask. Call me Baldur, Cailleach, or any other wintery deity you silly little beings made up. Most of you just call me King Winter. How fitting, considering our propensity for cold."

"What a cliché," Elsa muttered to herself. "So I have you to thank for my mastery of ice and snow?"

The man in the mirror responded with a single, disinterested nod of his head.

"And my ability to create life in my creations?"

_That_ seemed to spark King Winter's interest, the old man leaning forward on his throne. "Really? How very interesting," he mused to himself, looking at Elsa as if she were some science project. "It has been some time since Life surfaced in anyone. And in such a way too…" Then, as suddenly as the interest had appeared, it seemed to fade again. "You're a great sorceress, Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Don't squander your gift away. Show the world the true power of Winter. Do me proud."

And then he was suddenly gone, leaving Elsa staring at her own reflection again. She stepped away from the mirror, and Anna was immediately besides her. "And? Did you learn anything useful?"

Elsa canted her head sideways. "He seemed interested in my ability to animate my creations, but he did not elaborate much. He just said it was not often that life surfaced in anyone, or something similar."

The spark in Anna's eyes seemed to grow slightly dimmer, but Pabbie nodded wisely. "King Winter is not very talkative, even at the best of times."

"You knew who I'd meet?" Elsa asked curiously.

"I did not _know_, but I _suspected_. Call it an educated guess. Let us hope that Miss Oaken pulls a more willing image from the mirror."

Anna turned to the troll before walking to the mirror. "Do you know – suspect – anyone in particular to be my… thingy?"

Pabbie shook his head slowly. "Often, I have an idea, an insight, a suspicion. For you, my dear, I draw a total blank."

Anna nodded anxiously, stepped in front of the mirror and blinked at her own reflection repeatedly. When she opened her eyes after her seventh blink, she suddenly stared at something that was most assuredly not her reflection, causing her to jump slightly, emitting a high-pitched squeal.

"Fear me not, dear one," the figure spoke, her mouth hardly moving. "For I am you, and you are me."

Anna looked at the figure – a beautiful woman leaning on a sword, her eyes covered by a blindfold. "Who… who are you?"

The woman smiled. "Like all of us, I have many names. We are loved by as many as we are hated. For I – we - are Justice."

Anna swallowed heavily, nodding her head even though she wasn't sure if the woman could see her or not. She was blindfolded, after all. "Can you… Can you tell me about my powers?"

The woman nodded with a serene smile. "When the Magnificent One – Life, we called her – decided we had outgrown your world, we all gave off our essence. But the power to pass Judgment was too great. Too dangerous. It could not be allowed to be passed on randomly. I told Life. Life agreed. I gave her my essence, and like her own, Life stored it away. It _could_ not be abused by humans, taken over by greed and envy.

My essence, like her own, would only be given to those that could wield it fairly. Those who were pure of heart. You, dear one, are one of those, whether you realize it or not. You… You are special beyond words."

Anna swallowed again, her head reeling with Justice's words. "So… how do my powers work?"

"I can see it in your heart, dear one, that you have already experienced our power."

"I strengthen Elsa's magic," Anna mused out loud. "But I seemed to weaken or distort the magic of the assassin sent to kill us."

Justice nodded. "I see now what I overlooked before. You will see too, before long. In you, I am not alone. And in her, neither is the King."

Anna frowned, biting the nail of her thumb. "What does that mean?"

The reflection smiled serenely. "You will see, later. You wish to know about your power, and I shall explain in the simplest of terms, for unlike ours, your minds are not made to comprehend the universe. The part of me in you is dormant. I sleep, but I wake when They come near. Not many have the power of my brethren, but we sense those that do. When they mean harm and evil and injustice, we object. We fight. We _counter_. When they mean good, and are benevolent, we fight. We agree. We _aid_. Do you now understand, young one?"

Anna nodded slowly. "We strengthen the powers of those who are just. We weaken those who use their powers to pursue injustice."

"You are wise for a human. You are all we could have hoped you'd be."

"Thank you," Anna smiled, glowing with the pride of that compliment. "You're pretty awesome yourself," she blurted out, immediately covering her mouth with her hands.

"Our time has come to a close," Justice murmured with a smile. "Heed my words, beautiful human. We each are who we are, and we cannot be what we are not. This mirror works only for one. Such are the rules. But I feel Winter, and Winter feels Justice. Neither is alone. You are not one. Neither is _she_."

And as Anna blinked, her reflection was suddenly her remarkably plain self again. She slowly stepped out of the mirror's line of sight, feeling as if something – someone – lingered beyond it still, and swiftly stepped into Elsa's waiting arms.

"It appears your… thingy was a lot more talkative than mine," the blonde smiled.

Anna nodded against Elsa's shoulder. "Justice. Apparently, I inherited a part of Justice."

Elsa chuckled. "That's less of a cliché than meeting King Winter, at least."

Anna took a deep breath and stepped out of Elsa's embrace. "Justice said something… 'I feel Winter, and Winter feels Justice,' and then 'neither is alone. You are not one, neither is she.' Emphasis on _she_. And something about… the mirror only working for one."

"Anything else?" Elsa asked, storing every bit of information away.

"Yes. Justice was special, apparently. Only those pure of heart could inherit her essence. She made some kind of deal with… Life?"

"The Magnificent One," Pabbie nodded knowingly. "He decided that the world was to be inherited by new beings."

"Justice called Life a She," Anna corrected. "And since you could hear my part of the conversation, you know how my magic works, right?"

Elsa nodded. "I can't stop thinking about what you said, though. 'I feel Winter, and Winter feels Justice, neither is alone, you are not one, neither is she," she repeated monotonously. "It sounds like a riddle… or a message."

They were all silent, Elsa and Anna deep in thought, while Grand Pabbie was twiddling his stubby thumbs idly. Eventually, it was Elsa who suddenly clapped her hands. "They feel each other, and neither is alone! You and I aren't one!"

Anna looked at her fiancée as if she had gone mad – which really would not surprise her under these circumstances – but Pabbie nodded eagerly. "I see you have figured it out, Your Majesty."

"Great, explain it to me, then?" Anna offered weakly.

"We both have something – someone – else in us, which means neither of us is _one_, we're both _two._ Justice and Winter are our separate essences, but we both share something as well."

Anna finally started understanding. "The mirror only works for one. But neither of us is one. We need to stand in front of the mirror together!"

Without hesitation, they did so, linking their arms together and staring at their reflection intently, Pabbie standing off to the side, looking nearly as concentrated as the two women. It didn't take long for their reflections to melt into one figure – a beautiful, tall, glorious woman with flowing hair that was both white as snow and red as fire. Before they could even think of a question, the woman started speaking.

"Winter is plain, but stronger than most. Justice is rare, and pure of heart. So it was, and so it still is. Life is precious. I was too strong. We all were too strong. But I was the strongest. I parted with my essence like the others. But I split mine. Two halves. Inherited by good people. And only together, can they create true life.

Darkness is looming at the horizon. Justice will not stand for it. Winter reigns supreme, rises to the challenge. You inherited them. You inherited me. You are special. Singular. _Powerful_. If the darkness succeeds, all will fade. Justice, Winter, Life. It will be no more. Malevolence must not succeed. You are to stop her. But always remember. _She_ is a victim of Her darkness."

The mirror suddenly turned black, their reflection invisible, as if they were staring at a moonless, starless night, before a large crack suddenly splintered the glass.

Pabbie quickly waved his hand, the dust on the ground coming up to form a solid wall in front of the mirror again. "I do think that is quite enough communication with the other realm," he uttered hastily.

"We just talked to-"

"I know," Pabbie said immediately. "For some reason, I could see her too. Hear her words. It appears you have an arduous struggle ahead of you. But remember, you are not alone. Never have been, and never will be."

Elsa nodded. "Is there any chance you and your acolytes will come to our aid in this struggle?"

Pabbie shook his head sadly. "We have done all we could, Your Majesty. Something tells me this is not our struggle."

Both women nodded, shaking the troll's lumpy hand. "We best return to the kingdom, now. There is much to discuss, much to think about. Much to be done."

Pabbie nodded, hopping back onto his pedestal. "The guide will guide you out, where your magnificent beast awaits patiently."

Just before they reached the door, the troll spoke up one last time. "Go to the Garden of Stone, Strugglers. What you will find there, I cannot know. But go you must."

Anna raised a single eyebrow at the vague words, but Elsa nodded resolutely, so she didn't ask anything. Justice's words were still reeling through her mind when they stepped outside, and not even the cold winds could clear her head.

Newa was patiently lying in wait, allowing them both to clamber onto her back. And high, high up in the air, with the wind and snow and sleet whipping around them, Anna finally felt like she had some clarity of mind.


	22. Chapter 22

**Merry Christmas, everyone! Okay, short confession: I'm a total Christmas-freak. I love everything that has to do with Christmas. And it is my personal belief that everyone should try and do something for those around them and dear to them. And, despite the fact I don't know a single one of you by name (okay, that's a lie, I know a few of you by name, but shush), you are all very dear to me. **

**Over the past year, you have all showered me with appreciation, support, gratefulness and kindness. As a little 'thank you,' I've decided to update all of my stories simultaneously as a small Christmas gift to y'all. Enjoy your holidays, you awesome people, and y'all will hear more from me in 2016! ;)**

**Also, I went back over all the previous chapters and fixed the typos I encountered. And you might have noticed I upped the rating for this story. This chapter contains some… darker themes. Nothing terribly heavy, but still felt like I should give y'all a heads-up. :)**

* * *

The turn-out was quite impressive, she mused, proudly standing on the wooden scaffolding. She intensified the dark mist blocking the obnoxiously bright sun, letting her eyes wander over the thousands of subjects gathered in front of her. Despite her pride, she would have to thank Gregor for concentrating all of his efforts into her coronation.

She had read the relevant papers and knew that the leaders – former leaders, really – of all her conquered kingdoms were among the public. Today would serve to show them who was really in charge. Sure, Lady Yuwin had conquered them all, but after today, it would be Queen Yuwin, towering over all the other kings and queens.

And her plans were coming along nicely as well. Only yesterday had she received word that her party of sorcerers had arrived at the Grey Gardens and would be seeking an audience with the Judge soon. If they could get _him_ on their side, all the wars she would have to fight would be won before they even started. Such was the power of the Judge of the Grey Gardens.

She would never admit it out loud, but even _she_ was slightly frightened – no, intimidated – by the figure. While not possessing an ounce of magic in his frail old body, he commanded armies, had ties with royalty, nobility and peasantry alike, and wielded an admirable collection of magical artefacts.

Yes, beside the blasted Ice Queen, the Judge was the only one who could cause a hitch in her plans. But he wouldn't. Because she wouldn't allow it.

She had to pull herself out of her own thoughts as the Magistrate stepped onto the scaffolding, carrying her newly-fashioned crown on a pitch-black pillow, as well as the royal sceptre. A quick motion of her hands, and the guards silenced the crowd beneath.

"Violet Yuwin," the Magistrate started, speaking loud enough for the gathered crowd to hear as his voice carried over their heads admirably. "We are gathered here today to crown you Queen of the Northern Kingdoms."

The entire crowd was silent, watching in awe as the Magistrate placed the crown on her head. "Do you swear, by the old gods and the new, that you will fulfil your duties are ruler of these lands?"

"I do."

"Do you swear to uphold the principles of…"

She was forced to block out the sound of his voice when she realized her right arm was starting to tingle, the sensation spreading from her hand to her elbow and up to her shoulder.

"I do," she responded automatically as the Magistrate fell silent again.

"Do you swear to…"

No. No, no, no, no! She couldn't use this right now. She had it under control. She was in control. She was in charge! She wouldn't allow this to happen now, of all times. Not now. Yet, as hard as she fought the foreign feeling in her arm, the tingling sensation only got stronger, her fingers twitching uncontrollably at irregular intervals.

The Magistrate was waiting for a response again, but she had to grit her teeth together to keep herself from losing control. How could this be? She was more powerful than this, surely? Knowing that the ceremony would be lost if she did not respond, she steeled her resolve and opened her mouth to make the pledge.

Before the words could get out, her arm seemed to raise itself on its own accord, pushing the Magistrate off the scaffolding, royal sceptre following him down as the crown fell off her head and rolled away. Even without looking, she knew the old man had not survived his fall.

As she stood there, the crowd gaping at her, she felt like a deer caught in the beam of a lighthouse. She vaguely registered her arm raising itself again, but didn't think much of it. After all, what could make this moment worse than it already was?

The answer came in a sharp, stinging sensation on her right cheek, where her own hand had just harshly connected. Her eyes started to water as the tingling in her arm faded away again, part due to the pain, but mostly because of the embarrassment and shame she was feeling. The crowd below was still entirely silent, but she knew that wouldn't last.

Surely enough, they soon erupted in a cacophony of murmurs and laughing. _Laughing_. They were laughing at her! Without consciously calling on it, her powers started to manifest themselves around her, whirling slowly at first, but quickly forming a dark bubble around her.

With an agonized cry that resounded through the mountains, the bubble expanded outwards, sending people flying or tumbling as it reached them, and turning the laughter into a panicked shrieking. Finally, when her mist reached the end of the crowd, it dissipated, and she was left to face the scene in front of her.

Hardly anyone was still standing upright, and the only sound that could be heard was a few remaining shrieks of terror, as well as the grunting and moaning of injured people. Looking at the thousands of bodies splayed out in front of her, she knew that more than half of them had probably not survived her supposed coronation.

That didn't make her feel nearly as bad as slapping herself in the face, though.

* * *

There was a stunned silence as everyone gathered in the throne room stared at her and Anna. She had just finished regaling them with the information they had gained at the Temple of the Old Magic, which was, admittedly, a bit much to take in.

"So," Rapunzel started, head cocked sideways, "you inherited the powers of ancient deities, are connected because of it, and are destined to stop the witch in the north?" she summarised.

Elsa noticed Anna nodding by her side. "That's a pretty accurate summary, yes."

Eugene raised his hand awkwardly, seeking permission to speak, which Elsa granted rapidly. "So, why did you say these deities left the world again?"

Elsa smiled slightly, actually feeling quite happy people pointed out the bits of her story she had glanced over. "Most of them agreed that it was time for them to leave the world to a less powerful race. They handed a part of their essence over to Life, who created humanity."

"Surely, not everyone did so voluntarily? These were sentient beings, and they can't all have been happy about this decision, right?" Belle chimed in.

"No," Anna responded before Elsa had the chance. "But those who were unhappy were forced to comply. Life was, apparently, quite the powerhouse."

"And… the two of ye now have this Life in ye?" Merida asked from the back, feet resting on the table.

They nodded simultaneously. "We both possess a part of Life, who split her powers amongst those who were worthy of it, and always in such a way that two inheritors would be needed together to bring it out."

"And besides Life, you have Winter and Justice?" Queen Ariel asked, diligently taking notes.

"Correct," Elsa answered. "I think it's pretty obvious who got which."

There was a slight chuckle before Hans sat up a little straighter. "Okay, so we learned lots of useful tidbits about your magic. Question is, what do we do now?"

Elsa wavered a moment before replying. "The troll elder told us to visit the Garden of Stone. I'm pretty sure he meant the Grey Gardens."

There was a tense silence as everyone seemed to ponder on that course of action. Eventually, it was one of the generals that spoke up. "Making a visit to the Judge of the Grey Gardens is not something to be undertaken lightly, Your Majesty."

"True," Elsa conceded. "But he could be a valuable ally."

"Considering his predisposition against magic, I think we should also consider the possibility that he might imprison and execute you when you arrive. Your powers are, after all, not as much of a secret as they used to be, and the Judge is known to have spies and informants everywhere. Even more so than I," Hans offered feebly. "I'd rather not see the two of you removed from the playing field by a bitter old man."

Elsa nodded a single, curt nod. "Very well. So we take it slow. Make a plan, try diplomacy. Send a message, request an audience. Go through the proper channels. It is, after all, not like we can amass an army and march on the Grey Gardens."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," one of the younger generals started. "That might actually be the quickest option to get what we want."

The queen laughed, though there was absolutely no humour in the sound. "Only if you want your armies to be decimated, general. The Judge might not be a sorcerer, but he's vastly more powerful than any army a single kingdom can gather. Even if Arendelle, DunBroch, France and Corona would lay siege to the Grey Gardens together, we would likely all be dead before we breached their main gates."

There was a little more back and forth between some of the generals, but soon enough, everyone fell silent again, waiting for Elsa to continue. "Let's meet again in a week. We'll discuss whatever plans we have come up with then, and see what the best course of action is. Keep in mind that upsetting our angering the Judge is the absolute last thing we want."

Everyone filed out of the room after bowing, curtsying or nodding at them, leaving only the two of them sitting on their thrones. "Anna, kitten, I know we both have some work to take care of. How about I meet you in your office an hour from now, and we can decide how to go about the rest of our day?"

"Very well, Moondrop. I already miss you," Anna smiled, placing a quick kiss on Elsa's cheek.

"And I you, my love."

* * *

Camping wasn't fun. She knew that like no other, having been in charge of a military regiment for the past five years. Before she was recruited by the Lady of Onyx Tower and given an actual purpose, at least.

"Can't we just get in there and get this over with?" the little blonde girl asked, not even out of her teens, but vastly powerful if the stories were to be believed.

"_We_ aren't going in there, Blair," Novirrin replied with a casual shrug.

"Why not?" Lyana immediately asked. "I thought that was why we were sent here?"

"True. But we all know the Judge isn't very fond of our kind. I'd rather not get us all wiped out in a single attempt to gain his allegiance. I'll be going in alone. Shadrin, Belerine, you two are in charge while I'm gone. If I haven't returned by sunrise tomorrow, assume that the diplomatic approach didn't work out and come up with a new plan. Got that?"

"Yes, ma'am," the two replied with a joking salute.

It was only a short walk to the gates of the Grey Gardens, something for which Novirrin was grateful. They had come a long way, traveling most of their journey by foot because horses were scarce in the region, and most of the terrain wasn't really cut out for them anyway.

"Halt! Who goes there?" a loud voice bellowed from atop the giant wall.

"I wish to have an audience with the Judge of the Grey Gardens!" she yelled back, attempting to sound polite even though she had to raise her voice considerably to respond to the guardsman.

Someone told her to stay put and wait for a moment, and she had to take care not to flinch when the sound of a large horn suddenly rang through the area. Two hoots of another horn responded mere minutes later. "Are you armed, stranger?"

Novirrin weighed her options for a moment. "I do not carry weapons on me," she responded, smiling as she heard the creaking of the massive iron gate in front of her.

"Enter, then."

She did as she was told, glad to have gained access to the famed Grey Gardens as easily as this. She resigned herself to being searched once she passed through the gate. She understood that the guards wanted to make sure she didn't carry weapons. It was only proper military protocol, after all.

If only they knew…

"Follow us," the captain of a large regiment of footmen barked, leading the way down a broad, paved road, towards the largest structure within the walls: the Judge's Palace.

She had to admit to being somewhat impressed. She had never visited the Grey Gardens before, but knew of its reputation as the safest city in the world. She always thought that was quite a pretentious title to hold, but as she walked through the streets, she realized it might very well be true.

Soldiers were stationed on every corner of every street. The massive triple walls surrounding the city were lined with guards, always within one another's hearing and seeing distance, making it impossible to take one of them out without alerting all of the others.

Most striking, however, was the architecture of the city. One moment, she felt like she was being escorted through a normal, crowded city, and the very next, she felt as if she were literally surrounded by concrete trees and brick shrubbery. Only to get the feeling she was walking through a fairy tale courtyard filled with fountains and quaint cottages the next.

After almost fifteen minutes of walking, surrounded by the clanging of the armour and weaponry of her escorts, they came to a spacious courtyard, where a large group of onlookers had already gathered in a large circle at its outskirts.

And in the middle of the courtyard stood a simple, mahogany desk. It was hard to believe that the man sitting behind it was often considered the most powerful man in the world. His frame was frail, and it was clear that, even in the prime of his life, he had always been a small and scrawny man. Now, in his late sixties at the very least, he looked like a withered shell of a man. Despite that, his voice still carried strongly.

"You requested an audience with Claude Frollo, Judge of the Grey Gardens. Please step forward, and introduce yourself."

She did as she was told, even going through the effort of bending her knee to the old man. "I am Novirrin of Greybell, Your Honour."

"Rise," the man replied, boredom lacing his voice. "Plead your case."

Novirrin closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her thoughts. She had a speech prepared, but faced with the intense grey eyes of the inquisitor, she wasn't entirely certain it would do the trick. She might have to improvise. But that was okay. She could do that.

"I have come to request help from the Grey Gardens, Your Honour."

"Elaborate."

"I represent a powerful woman, who regrets her inability to be present here today and has asked me to convey her most sincere apologies. She – we all – feel like we have been slighted."

"Plead your case fully and coherently, or leave the way you came," the Judge frowned.

"Lady Yuwin of the Onyx Tower requests the Grey Gardens' support in her campaign against the Cold Witch of Arendelle."

There seemed to be a resounding gasp among the public, but the Judge himself could not have looked less impressed if he had actively tried.

"What is this supposed slight?"

"I fear I am not privy to that information, Your Honour."

"And this Lady Yuwin is Violet Yuwin, who has been using her sorcery as a means to conquer nary all the kingdoms north of my Gardens?"

Damn, this wasn't going well. "We speak of one and the same, Your Honour."

"You are aware of the Gardens' policy on sorcery?"

"Yes, Your Honour. Lady Yuwin would not resort to it if it were not out of utter necessity. The witch in the south must be stopped. She cannot be allowed to rule her kingdom."

"While it is true these Gardens hold little love for Queen Elsa of Arendelle, she has yet to slight us. She has kept to herself, and my informants tell me she is, if nothing else, a benevolent monarch. The same cannot be said for your Mistress, Novirrin of Greybell. If she has been slighted by Ice Sorceress, let her come to these Gardens and plead her own case."

"That's not going to happen, Your Honour. I implore you. Listen to reason. If you do not, I fear for the future of your city."

She had meant it as a genuine warning. She hadn't meant for it to come across as a threat. Yet, when the words left her lips, she knew she had made a grievous mistake.

"You speak to me of reason, Novirrin of Greybell? And you have the nerve to threaten our future? I demand you leave these Gardens immediately, and never return."

Novirrin heaved a heavy sigh. She really had hoped it would not come this far, but she was no fool. She could see that she had no other choice left open to her. She was quite confident about her powers. She had trained them vigorously, and while Lady Yuwin was still her superior, and Gregor was naturally untouchable, she had not found anyone else who had been able to best her.

With a single, simple flick of both her wrists, the swords of all the guards surrounding her and the courtyard flew out of their sheaths, hovering in mid-air for a moment before pressing up to their throats. Another flick brought out several daggers and halberds, guards yelping with surprise as the weapons were wrested from their hands and took up position against their chests or throats. The few weapons that still remained, she used to threaten some of the innocent civilians gathered around the courtyard, strengthening her demanding position.

The Judge sighed audibly. "So this is how it is, then. We must, as always, resort to savagery and barbarism to see our selfish goals fulfilled." Without another word, he got up from his chair, casually walking around his desk. He took three steps towards her, and then raised his hand in a timid, negotiating manner.

Novirrin was about to say it was not too late for negotiations, and that everyone could still be saved, but was surprised by a sudden green flash that seemed to turn the entire world green for a moment. Then, the colour vanished again, a thick mist swirling around and diminishing her sight for a moment.

When it dissipated again, all the people where gone, the weapons she had kept to their throats lying on the ground. She looked around, astonished, as the buildings suddenly started collapsing around them, the remaining rubble sinking into the ground until she was surrounded only by darkness as far as her eyes could see.

Feeling a presence behind her, Novirrin pivoted around to face it, dread overtaking her when she only found a dark mist swirling around, hardly visible in the darkness, but evidently there as she could _feel_ its presence. And that of its Mistress.

Turning around in an attempt to run, she found herself with the image she dreaded most. Lady Yuwin, casually standing in front of her, dark mist rising up along her frame until it formed the likeness of a giant, winged monstrosity, resembling a cross between a wolf and a bat, eyes glowing a fiery red.

"You have failed me, General Novirrin," a voice echoed around her. "You know the price for failing me."

Novirrin felt herself kneeling, bowing her head down as she started to feel tears prickling behind her eyes. "No, M'lady, I beg of you. All is not yet lost. I can make this right. Let me finish what I started."

"It is too late for that…" the voice responded, the mist and frame of her Lady disappearing back into the darkness.

Novirrin had a short moment to be relieved, feeling that, maybe, somehow, she had gotten off the hook. Just when she thought so, however, a large group of men came marching out of the darkness.

"General Novirrin!" the man in front smiled cheerfully. "It's been so long!"

She felt her throat clogging, a reply impossible as she looked at the men that had made up her military unit before she had been recruited by Lady Yuwin. They had been her comrades, her friends, her allies. They had respected her, trusted her.

She couldn't help the tears from sliding across her cheeks as, one by one, the men fell to their knees, looking like they were being choked by an invisible hand, until the circle of corpses around her were all silent and still. She didn't have to check. She _knew_ they were dead.

She forced herself back to her feet, determined to leave the bodies of her fallen comrades behind. She really didn't need a reminder of her failure right now. When she turned around to walk away, though, she found herself facing a large wooden scaffolding.

And on that scaffolding stood Shadrin, Lyana, Belerine and little Briar, nooses tight around their neck, their eyes pleading for her help. She reached for the dagger at her belt, cursing loudly as she realized she had left it in the woods before entering the city. She ran towards the scaffolding, but before she was even halfway there, the wooden structure fell away, leaving her new friends and comrades dangling from the rope, their lifeless bodies swinging in the non-existent breeze.

"No, no!" Novirrin felt herself shouting, using her powers to try and levitate the bodies, only to find that they were not actually responding to her call. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she was powerless, which was almost as frightening as the amount of dead bodies that were starting to surround her.

She simply sat down, cross-legged, and resigned herself to her tears. She had failed her Mistress, and now everyone she loved was lying dead around her. She was so immersed in her self-pity that she didn't realize someone walking up to her, gently wrapping her arms around her from behind.

Turning her head to the side, she found herself embraced in her mother's arms, her father and little brother kneeling on her other side. "Shush now, darling, I know it looks grave, but all will be well. This is not the end, my love."

Her little brother bounded up to her, waving happily. "I love you so much, big sister! Will you play tag with me?" he chirped happily.

Before Novirrin could answer, she felt her mother's arms growing cold around her. Turning her head to the side, she noticed her mother's face growing pale and her eyes growing glassy, immediately after which she slid sideways and thumped to the ground. Turning her head back to her other relatives, she was just in time to see her brother falling mid-stride and not getting up.

Her father gave her a disappointed shake of his head, before he too fell to the ground, face first, all life having left him.

She had kept her family a closely-guarded secret, even from Lady Yuwin. She had done so to prevent this from happening. So they could not be used against her. But even in their protection, she had failed. She felt as worthless as she should, judging by the final, disappointed look her father had given her.

Rolling herself up into a little ball, surrounded by friends and family, she cried to herself until she felt her tears drying up on her cheeks and could cry no more. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find herself lying in the middle of the courtyard, the Judge standing over her with a look of stern sympathy in his eyes.

"I really wish you had not threatened us, child," he murmured, showing her a golden ring with a green stone on his finger. "The Ring of Emmanon. Taken from the previous ruler of the Onyx Tower. I have been told the images it produces in one's mind are terrifying and disturbing. Nonetheless, they were only that: images."

As two guards helped her up from her foetal position on the ground, she got a chance to look around, finding everyone unharmed and looking at her with varying expressions. Most of them, however, seemed to be feeling sorry for her, which made her only feel worse. She had, after all, attempted to kill these people.

"The guards will bring you to a room, Novirrin of Greybell. I urge you to stay there as my guest, and not try to escape or harm anyone. The consequences would be most unpleasant, I assure you. Also, you should consider your allegiance with Violet Yuwin ended."

And as the guards escorted her into the palace, Novirrin could honestly say that she had no intention of escaping the Gardens, harming anyone, or trying to contact Lady Yuwin in whatever possible way. She didn't even dare test whether her powers were still functional.

She just wanted to stay out of trouble.

* * *

Technically speaking, Anna wasn't quite done with her work yet when Elsa subtly knocked on the door of her study. For the sake of the blonde, as well as her own, however, she decided that was a minor matter that could easily be resolved tomorrow.

Right now, there were other matters to attend to. Such as the trail of kisses Elsa was placing from her jaw to her lips, finally capturing them between her own, drawing an appreciative hum from Anna. Despite that, however, she felt there was something they needed to discuss first, and this she gently pushed Elsa away.

"My love, is something wrong?"

Anna shot Elsa a reassuring smile, making sure to convey that there wasn't _really_ anything _wrong_. "I think we have something we need to talk about, Moondrop…"

"Oh?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Your Majesty," Anna smiled, nudging Elsa with her foot. "The business that wasn't quite business and that wasn't the cancelling of our engagement?"

Elsa's face immediately fell, her eyes shooting to the window and looking out at the bay. "I'd rather just enjoy my time with you now, Anna…"

"I know," Anna responded, gently wrapping her arms around Elsa. "Because for some reason, you seem to think that you won't be able to enjoy your time with me anymore after we had this conversation. And I haven't the foggiest idea how you got that idea in your mind, because I know for a fact that, unless you send me away, there's no conceivable way for you to get rid of me."

"You can't know that," Elsa murmured, burying her face in the crook of Anna's neck.

"Of course I can," Anna responded easily. "I'm a farmer who got a chance to marry the queen and become a princess, Elsa. Even if I _weren't_ madly in love with you, which, for the record, I am, I'd still be a fool to pass up the opportunity."

Elsa chuckled grimly. "Glad to know you're here for all the right reasons…"

"You bet," Anna chuckled in return, sounding amused still. "Now, tell me what's bothering you so we can work that nasty frown off your pretty face, please? I like my future wife smiling and laughing, not frowning and brooding."

Elsa took a deep breath, before eventually speaking up. Anna had to concentrate fairly well to be able to make out the words whispered against her throat, but she was relatively certain her fiancée said 'it's just something stupid the Council said.'

"Well, love, if it has got you this upset and worried, clearly it's not 'just something stupid.' I really can't help you if you won't tell me what is going on…"

"They want us to move up our marriage," Elsa muttered feebly, hardly looking her in the eye and fidgeting with the folds of her skirt.

As soon as the words registered in Anna's mind, she tried to stomp down the urge to laugh. She really, really did. Like, really. But it was to no avail, and before she could apologize, she was having such a laughing fit that Elsa had to move out of her lap to prevent being thrown off.

Once she regained a semblance of her decorum again, Anna found Elsa looking at her with a confused and slightly worried gaze. "Seriously, Elsa? _That_ was what all this fuss was about?"

The blonde nodded mutely in response.

"You had me worrying for days, Moondrop. I thought you had reconsidered or there was some legal issue due to which we couldn't get married or something… Sheesh… So, when are we supposed to get married now?" she asked happily.

Elsa seemed to have some trouble to fold her mind around her response, but eventually shook her head a few times. "You're not… upset?"

"About marrying you? How could I be…?"

"But… we agreed not to get married for a while yet, and to get to know each other better first, and I thought…"

"Mm," Anna murmured, "Maybe next time, you should just ask me when something like this comes up, instead of thinking about it until your head has given you all the most depressing scenarios."

Elsa smiled faintly. "That much… is probably true."

"You thought I'd run away or something?"

"Yes," Elsa sighed unhappily.

"Your lack in faith in me is astounding," Anna gasped in mock-offense. "Seriously though, Els. You can _always_ talk to me about things like these… You know that, right?"

"I do… but thanks for reminding me anyway."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for. Now, you didn't answer my question. When are we to be married now?"

The Grand Council wanted to do it as soon as possible. Show that Arendelle's still strong and that we're not intimidated by our enemies."

"I suppose that makes sense," Anna mused. "So, do _you_ mind getting married sooner?"

"No!" Elsa replied without hesitation. "I've known for a while now that you're the one for me."

"Glad we're on the same page on that, then," Anna smiled. "So, let's say we get married soon. What would change for me?"

Elsa trapped her lower lip between her teeth for a moment, clearly pondering about the correct response. When it started taking too long, Anna huffed audibly. "Really, Elsa. Just say what you're thinking, instead of worrying how I'll respond. I'm sure things will turn out better than the current scenario you're working up in your head."

Elsa released a long breath as she shot Anna an apologetic smile. "Sorry. It's an old habit…"

"It's okay, we'll work on it together," Anna replied easily.

"Well… I've been thinking… The way the documents are drawn up now you would be Princess-Consort and not much would really change for you…"

"But?" Anna asked, sensing that there was more to the story.

Elsa shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "You've proven to be exceptionally good at your job. I was thinking that you'd maybe like… being a queen instead? I mean, only if you want, of course."

Anna's head was reeling with the possibilities, not entirely certain if she felt ready to go from farmer to queen. "What would that entail, exactly?"

"You'd get more of a say in matters of State. I'd still be the principal ruler of Arendelle, but you would be my right-hand and second-in-command. Other than that, we can adjust your workload to your preferences. You would never have to do anything you didn't want or didn't think yourself capable of, and you'd be assisted in whatever duties you would perform."

"So, really, it wouldn't be that different from what we've been doing so far?"

"Not really, I suppose. But I'd like you to be more of an equal to me than Princess-Consort would make you…"

"Alright, I'm fine with that, really," Anna shrugged, trying to play it off as not being a big deal, even though she was practically vibrating because of the fact that Elsa trusted her enough to make her a _Queen_.

"There'll be some specifics to work out with the Council, though. Are you okay with scheduling a meeting for tomorrow?"

Anna grabbed a small, leather-bound book from her desk and tossed it towards her fiancée. "Pick out any time-slot that's free, Moondrop."


	23. Chapter 23

**Heya everyone! Welcome to 2016's first _The Royal Commoner_ update. It's 6k long, so I hope y'all enjoy it! I wrote it in one long sit, so there might be some mistakes, and my beta won't read it until tomorrow, so if there are, I'll fix them then! (if you read this after the 15th of January, disregard that bit, please!) I'd also like to thank everyone who's still here for... still being here. I know it's a long ride, but I hope you're all enjoying it still anyway! Especially since there's still a fair bit to go before we reach the finish!**

* * *

She wasn't quite sure what she had expected, but this was definitely not it. In the Onyx Tower, prisoners were kept in the dungeons, where they had nothing but a bucket. And in Greybell, where she served as General before being recruited by Lady Yuwin, prisoners were locked in the dungeons, where they had nothing but a bucket, a filthy mattress and a blanket for the cold days.

Yet, here she was. A prisoner of the Grey Gardens, housed in a more luxurious room than the one she occupied in the Onyx Tower. It had a comfortable bed, windows with a view of the city, plenty of books to keep her occupied, and meals brought to her room three times a day. The servants bringing the food did not seem to be scared of her in the slightest.

In fact, she had been able to strike up pleasant conversations with most of them, and everyone had been polite. The dinner-servant, with whom she had been talking about family, had left only half an hour ago.

Hence her surprise when there was an unexpected knocking at her door. Upon opening the door, she was even more surprised, finding none other than Judge Frollo himself standing in front of her door.

"General Novirrin, might I come in for a moment?"

"Of course, Your Honour, of course," she muttered hastily, bending her head and opening the door wider.

The Judge looked around the room for a moment, before returning his attention to Novirrin. "Are your lodgings to your agreement, General? I could have you moved somewhere else, if you preferred?"

"No, Your Honour. Everything is entirely acceptable."

"Very well, I'm glad to hear it. However, it is not why I have come to visit. I'd have come sooner, but it has been quite busy, as of late."

Novirrin did not say anything, merely looking at the Judge as he smiled kindly.

"I have come to apologize, child. While I still believe you left me little choice during our altercation in the courtyard, I do still feel troubled about inflicting the horrors of my Ring upon you."

"You were entirely in your right to do whatever you wanted to me, Your Honour," Novirrin uttered with a sad smile and a shake of her head. "Honestly, I got off easily, having only those nightmarish visions. Had someone acted like I did around the Tower, they'd have gotten off a lot worse."

"Regardless of my right to do what I wish," the Judge said with the same smile as before, "I have come to apologize, and ask your forgiveness. That, you are free to give me or deny me. I would only ask for you not to give me your forgiveness, only to lead me to find out you weren't earnest later."

Novirrin nodded. "As far as I am concerned, Your Honour, I should be asking your forgiveness. Not the other way around."

"Then, let us both forgive one another, and not speak of the matter any longer."

"Agreed."

"Very well. There is one other small matter, I would like to discuss."

"Of course, Your Honour."

"If you wish, General Novirrin of Greybell, you are free to leave the Grey Gardens whenever you wish. The only demand I will make is that you not return to Violet Yuwin. You can return to your family, or your former master at Greybell, if you so desire. Or, if you want, you can stay here. The Gardens can always use new talent."

"But I'm a sorceress," Novirrin objected feebly.

"Yes, and while we are generally not in favour of such abilities, we do not condemn the good-hearted individuals merely because of it. We ask you not to use it, unless you find yourself in a situation where it is your only option."

Novirrin sat in thought for a moment, before nodding to herself. "If that is the case, Your Honour, I think I'd like to stay…"

* * *

All of the members of the Grand Council were already seated at the long, rectangular table placed in the throne room when Elsa walked in. She quickly noticed the anxious looks on their faces as she lowered herself onto her throne, throwing a quick sideward glance at Anna's.

She couldn't really blame the councilmembers. While it was not unheard of for them to meet in the throne room, rather than the designated council chambers, it was certainly something that could be called exceptional. Usually, Elsa moved her meetings here when they would discuss a topic on which she felt she needed the little boost in authority that her throne never failed to supply.

Today, however, it was more of a practical matter. Then again, _they_ could not have known that. So yes, their concern was actually valid, albeit entirely unnecessary.

"Your Majesty," the eldest of the men spoke up. "Since we're all here, shall we begin?"

Elsa arched her left eyebrow, the corners of her mouth tilting upwards ever so slightly. "Not quite yet, good sir. We are actually not complete yet."

As if on cue, Elsa heard the small backdoor behind the curtain open. Only a very select group of people had access to that entrance to the throne room, so it wasn't hard to guess who had arrived. And, naturally, her suspicion was confirmed when Anna came walking into the throne room – more confident than she had done the previous few times, kissed Elsa's cheek quickly, and took her seat on her own throne.

Before any of the gathered lords could ask any questions, Elsa raised her hand, silencing them. "_Now_, we can start," she smiled. "You are undoubtedly wondering why Lady Oaken is present for this meeting, although I'm certain most of you will already have figured it out. A few days ago, you pressed the importance of our wedding on me. I've discussed the matter with my fiancée, as I said I would, and we have both agreed to go along with your proposed plan."

"That is marvellous news indeed, Your Majesty!"

Elsa didn't miss Anna's radiant, beaming smile before the redhead schooled her face into a more neutral expression again. And, judging by their kind smiles, neither did most of the councilmen.

"This meeting is meant to sort out the specifics of the ceremony and all the other arrangements that need to be made. I'm confident you already have our perfect marriage planned in great detail, but I remind you once more: it is _our_ marriage, and on this matter, our word will be final each and every time. Is that clear?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. We would not have it any other way."

"Alright. Let's start with the timetable. What period do you think is sufficient for the planning and arranging?"

The men mussed around for a little bit, ruffling through their papers and muttering to each other, before turning their attention back to the front of the room. "Well, Your Majesty… We would be lying if we said we had not already made some inquiries. If need be, we could have you married by the end of the week. Obviously, that won't be necessary, and, assuming you want to go with large festivities, we should plan on at least a month."

Elsa turned her head sideways, already finding Anna looking back at her. "What say you, love?"

The redhead shot her a happy little smile. "Anytime works for me. I'd have married you weeks ago if I'd known it was an option, you know that now."

Elsa gave a resolute nod, turning her attention towards the others again. "Alright. Let's go with a month, for now. This is, of course, subject to the rest of this discussion, and we can always move it backwards a little… Or forward, if need be."

"Now, Your Majesty, how large do you want to festivities to be?" one of the councilmen ventured.

"Well, you raised the point about our marriage serving to show off the security and positive attitude of our kingdom. To that end, I suggest going all out and making it as big as we can. If we keep it small, there's not much use in moving the marriage forward in the first place."

"Very well. In that case, we're talking about music, public performances throughout the city, visiting dignitaries from abroad, decorating the city, the whole works."

"Rather than unnecessarily prolonging this meeting, I suggest you make a list with your suggestions, and send them to my study whenever ready. That way, we know exactly what to discuss during the follow-up meeting, rather than pitching ideas right now and squabbling over the pros and cons of every little point."

"One thing, if I may?" Anna suddenly said, leaning forward in her throne as Elsa motioned for her to continue. "We will need to invite the representatives of the cities and villages for the festivities, of course. However, I think it would be a missed chance for joy if we do not also make some arrangements for the citizens that cannot come to the city to celebrate."

"Organizing festivities in every city and village, while ideal, would require immense amounts of planning and funding," the youngest member of the council immediate interjected.

"True," Anna agreed with a smile, "but you _did_ say you wanted us to marry sooner so we could show off how great things are in our kingdom, did you not? I'd say that, if we want to do that, we should do it right, and perhaps go a little overboard. Besides, what is a little extra planning, knowing the happiness and joy that will be spread because of it?"

"But the funding-"

Elsa raised her hand with a smile. "Between the Lord Chamberlain and the Queen, I can assure you that the financial aspect of this wedding is not something to fret over. I will, after all, only get married once, and I refuse to save expenses on what, by all accounts, should be the best day of my life."

That, apparently, was exactly what the councilmen had hoped to hear, seeing as they burst out into enthusiastic murmurs among each other, discussing all kinds of things, ranging from artists to flower-arrangements. Elsa and Anna shared an amused yet exasperated look, before calling them back to attention.

"Gentlemen, please. It wasn't even a minute ago when I suggested you write all this down for the two of us to review later. Don't tell me you've forgotten my instructions already?" Elsa chided good-naturedly.

"Of course, Your Majesty," they all chimed in unison.

Just as Elsa was about to answer, a soft knock echoed through the room.

"Enter," Elsa called, loud enough for it to be heard on the other side. A smile spread across her lips as Kai walked in, carrying a stack of papers she had requested. "Ah, perfect. Thank you, Kai. If you would, please stay for a moment."

The portly servant nodded with a smile, taking up place behind their thrones, hands folded on his back.

"Gentlemen, as you can see, Kai delivered to us some papers from the archives. Those of you who have already taken a quick look will have found that, among other things, it is the marriage agreement between me and Lady Oaken. You should all recognize it, seeing as you signed them for approval not quite that long ago.

The reason I had them brought here is, quite frankly, a simple matter. I discussed certain arrangements with my fiancée, and we would like to make a few… minor alterations. Before discussing these alterations, however, I will tell you that, while you are free to air any grievances you might have, and inform me of any concerns I might want to address, these alterations are _not_ up for discussion."

The young queen had expected her council to disagree, to be offended and balk at the implication of their lack of power in this matter. To her great surprise, however, the men merely looked at her expectantly, having the documents spread out in front of them, and some nodding encouragingly.

She took a deep breath before continuing. "As things are now, Lady Oaken will become Princess-Consort upon the completion of the marriage-ceremony. However, in light of my fiancée's recent actions and involvement in matters of State, as well as a discussion I've had with several of my trusted friends and advisors, I have decided that would be… insulting.

She has proven herself clever, insightful and responsible. Not to mention diligent and, dare I say, invaluable. To bestow upon her anything less than the title of queen would be distasteful and demeaning. While untested in many aspects of the position, she has proven herself to be a quick study, as Kai will, undoubtedly, confirm."

Even without turning her head, she could see Kai nodding fervently, a large smile on his face.

"I feel confident that, if Arendelle is content with having a queen and a princess to govern them, it will be no different with two queens. Are there any… objections?"

One of the councilmen slowly got to his feet, his face not unkind. "Your Majesty… Your _Majesties_, allow me to first offer you both my renewed congratulations. I can say, with relative certainty, that the council has no objections to voice. At first, we were all… apprehensive about Lady Oaken – being a lowborn, no offense – coming into power and playing a large part in our leadership. However, you are correct in stating that she has proven herself. More than that, she has proven to be unanimously liked and approved of. While I do not have an objection, I _would_ like to enquire how the power will be divided amongst you."

"Of course," Elsa smiled, more than happy with this development. "As queen, Anna will have full executive power, like myself. I will train her in all matters of State myself, so as to ensure that no decision will be made lightly or uninformed. We have agreed, however, that I will, in any case, have the power to revoke an order or decision made by her. When I am out of the kingdom, however, Lady Oaken will reign supreme and unopposed."

Miraculously, everyone seemed to agree, spurring Anna to sit up a little straighter. "Gentlemen… I'd like to thank you for the trust you have placed in me, and I promise to do everything in my power not to disappoint."

"We feel confident that you will act in everyone's best interest, Milady."

Anna nodded. "That being said, I'd also like to thank you for all your efforts, past, present, and future, you have and will put into the planning of our marriage. This meeting has come to an end now, and Elsa and I both look forward to reading your suggestions for the festivities."

With short nods and bows, all the men gathered up their documents, leaving the throne room while discussing what flowers would be best to line the streets with, what colours the banners should be, and how many musicians should be sent to every town. Elsa could see her future wife smile.

"Kai, would you please give us some privacy for a moment?" the redhead suddenly asked, getting up from her throne. The servant nodded sagely, disappearing through the back entrance as Anna stood before Elsa's throne. The blonde was halfway to getting up when Anna subtly pushed her back into the seat.

"Stay. We have some discussing of our own to do," she muttered, standing before Elsa's throne with her arms crossed.

"Is… something wrong?" Elsa asked, unsure as to where this conversation was going.

"You tell me…"

"I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about, Anna," she ventured carefully.

"I didn't get a kiss after breakfast this morning," Anna murmured, eyes narrowed suspiciously, hands now resting on her hips.

"Really? That's what this is about?" Elsa laughed lightly. "That's easy enough to remedy."

However, when she tried to get up and offer her the promised kiss, Anna pushed her down on her throne again. "… And it wasn't just this morning, Elsa. Don't think I haven't noticed you dodging and evading kiss-opportunities in the past … while."

"Anna, it's not-" Elsa spluttered, not getting a chance to finish her sentence.

"Are you ashamed of me?" the redhead asked, hands on her hips.

"What? No! Of course not!" the blonde gasped defiantly.

At that, Anna quirked a small smile. "Hm, didn't think so. After all, you also avoid kissing me when it's just us, sometimes."

Reaching up the pinch the bridge of her nose, Elsa tried to intervene again. "Really, Anna, you're-"

"Don't you like me anymore?" the redhead asked this time, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Anna," the Queen responded with a tired and small smile.

"Then what is it?" Anna asked, voice sounding exasperated.

Elsa heaved a deep sigh. "Remember, when we had only just gotten engaged and made the announcement?"

"Yes. Back then, you had no problem kissing me senseless," Anna smiled in return.

"Exactly. I remember a particular session in the library that got… a little heated."

"Hard to forget," Anna said with a small snicker, revealing that she never had been really cross with Elsa.

The blonde gave a quick smile too. "It's… hard to keep my feelings for you reigned in, sometimes. And I don't want us to be found in a compromising position by a servant or anything. The stories and gossip would be relentless, and I won't have anyone besmirch your reputation."

"So, you don't kiss me in public anymore because of… propriety?"

"Well… yes," Elsa admitted with a deep breath.

"And the reason you don't want to… be intimate when we're alone?"

"Propriety is more than just what people can see, Anna."

"Fair enough," Anna conceded. "And, instead of just discussing this with me, like a normal and responsible adult, you thought it a better idea to keep it silent, let it fester, and make me doubt myself?"

Despite Anna's good-natured teasing tone, Elsa felt guilt washing over her. "I'm sorry, Anna. I think we have adequately established that… well, communication is not necessarily my strongest skill. Especially with people close to me…"

"Yeah, I've noticed," Anna giggled, dropping down in Elsa's lap unannounced. "So, this whole propriety thing is going out of the window after our wedding, right?"

"That's right."

"Well then, excuse me while I go and find the councilmen and tell them to move the marriage to… tomorrow?"

They both laughed for a moment, Anna resting her head on Elsa's shoulder. "Seriously, though. Talk to me next time. And there's definitely going to have to be more kissing. But, yes, we'll keep it in check when others are around. Even I don't fancy servants walking in on us with our tongues in-"

"Anna!"

"Right. Sorry."

They shared a brief laugh, foreheads resting together. "Can I kiss you now, though?"

Without waiting for a response, Anna softly pressed her lips to Elsa's and, not feeling the blonde make any move to discourage her, slowly parted her lips to flick her tongue over Elsa's lips. Making use of the ensuing gasp, she easily slipped her tongue past parted lips, releasing a soft moan, and hearing Elsa echo the sound as their tongues met.

When they parted again, several minutes later, Anna was slightly panting. "Wow, you're right. It _is_ hard to control ourselves."

"Ahem, I knocked but…"

They both turned their heads backwards, finding a slightly blushing Kai standing off to the side, fanning himself with a sealed folder. Despite his obvious blush, though, he was also smiling widely and there was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

"Kai… I'm… so sorry you had to see that," Elsa groaned, resting her head against the back of her throne.

"No worries, Your Majesty. You're young and in love. Frankly, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. Anyhow, Queen Ariel requested I bring this to you immediately, although she also said it wasn't urgent."

"Thank you, Kai," Anna smiled. "Well, I guess we should both get back to our work now, Moondrop. See you at dinner?"

"Yes," Elsa replied immediately, cheeks still burning up. "See you at dinner."

* * *

It had taken her almost half an hour, but Elsa had finally found the one she had been looking for. She still wasn't sure why Eugene, Prince-Consort of Corona, would be found in the stables, of all places. She had thought the answer would be obvious once she found him there, but she instead found the man, in his royal suit, sitting on a bale of hay, having a stare-off with one of the horses.

And he seemed to be losing, too.

"Eugene, May I have a word?"

The man immediately jumped off, swivelling around to meet her and dropping into a small bow at the same time. The result was both endearing and laughable. "Your Majesty! Course, of course."

"Please, call me Elsa," she smiled. "By now, you must know we're not big on formalities among friends."

"Right, right. Elsa, what can I do for you?"

"I… need to discuss some important matters with you. Matters that are crucial to cross-kingdom relations, in fact."

"Err," the man stammered, hooking his finger behind is collar and pulling it straight. "You will probably want to talk to my wife, then? Rapunzel really is the brains of us two. I'm more the brawn, really. Well, not even that, to be perfectly honest."

"I would, but I can't," Elsa smiled.

"O-kay… What can I do for you, then?"

"There's still a bet running on our marriage, in one way or another, correct?"

Eugene gave her a guilty grimace. "Yeah, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't…"

"Care to tell me what it is about, exactly?"

"Well, the bet about the date didn't really take off, so now everyone's betting on whether you'll wear a dress or a suit, or Anna will wear a dress or a suit… Or you'll both wear dresses, or both wear suits…"

"I see. For international relations, it is imperative that Rapunzel does not win this bet," Elsa declared in a dignified and royal manner. "I must know what she bet on."

"My lovely wife was banned from the bet," Eugene smiled easily, leaning up against the wall and not noticing the horse chewing on the backside of his jacket.

"I was aware. However, she let it slip that she placed her bets through you because of it."

"Riiiiiiight," the Prince-Consort said, grimacing. "I suppose that's true."

"So, please tell me what you bet on…"

"Heh. You see, Your Majesty – Elsa - … I really can't."

"And why's that?"

"Have you met Rapunzel? Of course you have… Have you ever seen her mad?"

"Can't say I have," Elsa murmured.

"It's truly a frightening sight," Eugene laughed grimly. "As much power as you have, being a queen, controlling ice, and having several armies at your back… I'd rather face your wrath than my wife's."

"I could order you to tell me. You know that, right?"

"Sure. Still wouldn't work, though."

"Well, can't blame me for trying," Elsa smiled. "I'll take my leave now, then. Oh, and your horse is eating your suit," she laughed lightly, turning around to leave, and hearing an undignified 'Maximus, stop that!' behind her.

She was not surprised to find Belle in a quiet corner of the library, nose between the pages of one of the many romantic stories piled up on the shelves around her. Before she had even announced her presence, Belle sported a smile.

"_Bonjour_, Elsa. Anything I can do for you?"

"_Oui_. You could tell me who's betting what on our marriage attire," Elsa smiled easily, leaning up against the bookshelf.

"I could," Belle smiled, finally looking up from the pages. "But that would not be fair to those who have placed bets, now would it?"

"I don't much care for fairness," Elsa smiled. "I just don't want Rapunzel to get all the spoils again."

"Oh, but she's not partaking, this time," Belle said, waving Elsa's concerns away.

"Are you absolutely certain of that? You know as well as I do that she is much cleverer than anyone, even us, gives her credit for."

"_Oui_. Eugene wasn't the most inconspicuous person, even on his best days. Regardless, I cannot budge on this matter, _ma Cherie_. If we do not have honesty, then what remains of us?"

Knowing that nothing more would come from the brunette, Elsa took her leave, automatically making her way towards Hans' office, where she found him writing a long letter, several pigeons flying around his office, their guano splattered across several pieces of furniture.

"We have more effective means of delivering letters, nowadays, you know?" Elsa asked with an arched eyebrow, dodging one of the grey projectiles flying about.

"Yes, but I can't very well send messengers into enemy kingdoms to retrieve information from my spies," Hans smiled winsomely, apparently not at all bothered by the mess around him. "But what brings you to my humble abode, dearest sister of mine?"

"Technically, it's my humble abode," Elsa smiled in return, checking a seat before taking it.

"Did your parents not teach you to share?" Hans replied in mock-horror. "I could've sworn I heard them say something like 'Hans lives here too, now, Elsa, share all your cookies with him. As many as he wants. You must give him everything he wants!' at some point."

"I'm pretty sure they did not say that, exactly. And I'm still letting you live here, aren't I?"

"Good point, well made. I concede defeat, oh mighty queen-sister."

"So, what's Rapunzel's bet?" Elsa asked suddenly, hoping that Hans would fall for the age-old trick and reply on automatism.

"Ah, very clever, Els. Alas, I have been instructed to keep the bets a closely guarded secret. Several queens and princesses have told me they were secrets of State, now. States, actually. Since we all have a vested interest."

"I could make it so that you would win the bet, brother dearest."

"Yes, you could. But we both know you wouldn't. And while I am a spy, and a spymaster at that, I am not dishonest, and I would not want to win, if I did not do so fairly."

"I'll go ask Merida, then," Elsa smiled. "I'm sure she wants to win."

"I'm sure she does, yes. Good luck."

Finding Merida was… easy. Elsa just had to follow the ruckus around the castle, which led her to Merida, leading a throng of DunBroch archers to chase down a goat across the upper corridors of the castle.

"Oi, lass, throw me up one of those ice walls, wouldye?" she bellowed as the group charged towards the blonde queen.

Elsa did as asked, cornering the goat – her goat – and allowing some of the archers to grab him and bring him back outside. "What was that all about?"

"Gave poor ol' Albert a bit offa scare, 's'all," Merida grunted in reply, looking everywhere but at the young queen.

"Merida, what did you do?"

"Din't do a damn thing. Notta worry."

"Fine, I'll let it go. Provided you tell me who is betting what on our marriage-attire."

"Aight, aight," Merida chuckled. "I'll tell ya."

"Please do."

"We were bored, so I told me men that the first one to catch your goat wouldn't have ta pay for no drinks until we all go back home. Thing got outta hand, and we couldn't catch the blasted bugger…"

"… I thought you were going to tell me about the bets?"

"Not a chance, lass. Call me what you will, but I am not a cheat."

And, try as she might, Merida just shrugged off all future attempts to gain any information from her, even going so far as to turn her back to the queen and simply saunter off when she grew bored with the conversation.

So, Elsa finally relented that there was only one source that might give her the information she wanted. She'd just have to go and find Rapunzel. Maybe, just maybe, she could be tricked into revealing something of worth.

* * *

Today was, in every possible regard but one, an entirely normal day. In the morning she had gone out, talked to some people around the castle, did some studying of charts and maps, and then gone back to her room, the adorable ice bunny following her every move throughout the castle. Much to her delight.

Coming back to her chambers, she had found several of the servants appointed to her going about several tasks – making the bed, rearranging the curtains, dusting the cabinets, mopping the floor. Everything entirely normal. Well, except for the fact that someone was watching them from the mirror.

Not _near_ the mirror, mind you. No, this particular someone, a woman with long, dark hair and a slightly bronzed skin, was watching them from _inside_ the mirror. She watched the figure for several minutes, not showing any emotion or surprise, and the figure stared back for several minutes, face also entirely neutral.

"Could you all leave me alone for a moment, please?" she asked the servants eventually, all of whom stopped their tasks immediately.

"Of course, Princess Rapunzel. Shall we come back in an hour?"

"Yes, please. Thank you," she replied with a sincere smile, before turning back to the mirror as the servants all filed out of her chambers.

As soon as she was certain that she was alone, and could not be overheard, she cocked her head to the side. "I must admit I am surprised to find someone stuck inside my mirror," she said with a faint smile.

To her surprise, the woman also smiled. "Stuck? Whatever foolish notion is that? As if this pedantic trinket, made my mortal hands, could ever get me stuck."

"I thought your race and mine could only communicate through the mirror Queen Elsa found in the Temple of Old Magic?"

The mirror-woman shrugged carelessly. "Our power is far beyond your understanding, mortal, quick as your mind might be to grasp at ideas and notions. For you to contact us is a great endeavour. For us to contact you is but a small effort. Yet, for someone who has only had this knowledge for so short a time, you are ever so… unimpressed."

Rapunzel shrugged. "Like I said, I am a little surprised. But mostly because I did not expect to have a deity, like the other wielders of magic?"

"Why would you think yourself so different from another, I ask you then."

"I got my power from a magical flower, not from a being, as far as I am aware," Rapunzel shrugged.

"Unknown I am to men and beast both, hanging over them like a tapestry while through their life they rove. What am I?"

Rapunzel smiled to herself. Unbeknown to most, riddles were somewhat of a favourite pastime of hers, and she had the feeling that she and this deity would get along just right. Giving the matter a short period of thought, the answer suddenly came to her. "Easy. Fate."

"Indeed. I brought the flower to your world, but fate would always bring it to you, as it was meant to be."

"Fated to get the power of the flower… I see. Might I ask who you are, then?"

"I rise in the East and-"

"You're the Sun, yes," Rapunzel immediately interjected. "I sort of already figured _that_ out. But I am guessing 'Sun' is not your name, just like I am guessing 'Winter' isn't actually called 'Winter,' and 'Justice' is not called 'Justice.'"

"With a sharp mind, you have been gifted. And correct you are, too. I am Amaterasu, and before things were as they are, I created the Sun."

"And for that, I am eternally grateful. As well as for my powers. They mean a lot to me," Rapunzel smiled with a dip of her head. "When my hair was cut, I thought the power lost to me. I assume you are the one that restored my hair to its… former glory?"

"Correct you are again, small mortal. Although I do not see how you could have lost it in the first place."

Rapunzel smiled. "The rich men want it, the wise men know it. All poor men need it, and kind men give it. What am I?"

Amaterasu smiled for a moment, before her face morphed into an expression of thought. After less than half a minute, she smiled again. "Of course. It is love."

Rapunzel smiled as she nodded. "But I imagine you did not come all this way to talk about my hair, or to exchange riddles."

"Indeed," the Goddess sighed. "I have come to you with counsel. We may no longer be around, but our fate is still entwined with that of you and your world, my clever little avatar. It cannot be seen, it cannot be felt. Cannot be heard and cannot be smelled. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and it follows after. It ends life, and kills laughter."

Rapunzel closed her eyes, visualizing the riddle inside her mind, turning it around and around, waiting for the obvious answer to come to her. And, as per usual, her mind did not disappoint. "Darkness."

"A great Darkness has entered your world, Rapunzel. The danger is real, and it threatens to consume you all, and blot out the sun and the stars alike. It must not succeed. Winter and Justice, bound by Life, may be fated to conquer the evil, but they cannot do it alone. Do not grow complacent in the knowledge that they can handle the situation. I fear that, only if you all pull together, the future can be yours."

"What costs nothing, but is worth everything? Weighs nothing, but can last a lifetime? What can one person not own, but two or more can share?"

Amaterasu seemed to stare off into nothingness for several minutes, before a smile formed on her face. "Friendship, of course."

The blonde princess nodded, her face solemn. "I'd never abandon my friends in their time of need. On that, you have my word."

"I believe you," the mirror spoke back. "And for what it is worth: I am proud to be a part of you."

"It means a lot," Rapunzel answered, the image in the mirror warping and fading, until she could only see herself staring back at her. "Well, that was surreal…"

Hardly ten minutes passed before there was a knock at her door, and Elsa came walking inside.

"Ah, Elsa, I was just coming to see you," Rapunzel smiled, the bunny hopping off the bed and to her creator.

"You still have her, huh?" Elsa smiled up at her as she bent down to stroke it. "What did you need to see me for?"

"You'll never guess who just visited me…"

"Merida or Belle?"

"Not quite."

"Eugene or Hans, then?"

"Also not correct."

"Feel to share, then?"

"Amaterasu."

"Amate-who?"

"The Sun Goddess, Elsa. She appeared in my mirror."

"_What_?"

"Apparently, they have ways to contact ours, even though we can only contact _them_ through the mirror."

"What… What did she want?"

"Oh, not much. We exchanged some riddles. Then we had a chat about the end of the world, and my role in stopping it," Rapunzel shrugged, delighting at Elsa's shocked reaction.

"Your… role?"

"Yes. Apparently, you and Anna won't be able to pull it off on your own, so we all have to work together. Like we weren't planning to do that anyway… But enough of that, we can discuss it further later, with the others present. What did you need of me?"

"I was err… wondering what your bet about our wedding dress or suit was."

"Oh. I bet that you would wear the suit, and Anna would wear the dress," Rapunzel smiled sweetly. "It seems fitting, I think."

"Really, just like that?" Elsa asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I'm not sure I understand…?"

"I've been trying to pry this information from the others for half a day now, and you just… told me?"

"Well, it's not like it's really that much of a secret," she shrugged. "I'm guessing half the castle knows my bet. Well, Eugene's bet, really. If you'd just come to me straight away, I could have saved you a lot of trouble."

Elsa merely shook her head in exasperation, making her way back to her office. Sometimes, paperwork was much preferred over human interaction.

Especially with the humans she kept around.


	24. Chapter 24

**Yes. I know. This is so overdue, a 'sorry' is not even remotely enough. I'd type out a whole bunch of 'sorry's, but that would be annoying, now wouldn't it? Life's a mess, writing is hard, I'm slow (and sometimes just a smidgen lazy, I'll admit). I really try to get these out as quickly as I can, but you all want my writing to be good too, so it's not always equally easy. Like, anyone can string a few thousand words together. Making them into an enticing story is something else entirely. Still. I AM sorry. Like, you don't even know how much. T_T**

* * *

Elsa had seen a lot of strange things over the years. And what she was facing now was, in no way, stranger than some of those things. It was, however, in an entirely different category.

She could shoot ice out of her hands, bring the creations to life… She'd seen a man animating statues and armours, had heard tales of mind-control, and had been witness to Rapunzel's healing tears. All of this was strange, yes… But it was also all magic, which, while not really making it any less strange, at least allowed her to label it.

Somehow, she doubted magic had anything to do with her entire study being cleared out. She'd enjoyed a peaceful breakfast with her fiancée and set off to get some work done and prepare for a meeting with an ambassador from Weselton to discuss the future of their trade-agreement.

And when she had opened the door, there had been absolutely nothing but bare stone walls, an empty stone floor, and the cold glass of the windows. Her desk, her paperwork, her bookshelves, her chair and recliner, and even her _curtains_, were nowhere to be found.

The first thought that entered her mind was that Merida and Hans had collaborated on this prank. It certainly seemed like something the two of them would come up with, although they would have needed help to pull it off. Of course, Merida had a detachment of DunBroch soldiers still in Arendelle, so even that was a moot point.

But no, they would know better than to do this. While pranks had always been allowed – appreciated, even – everyone knew to make sure they would never interfere with her running her kingdom. Removing her study from existence would certainly be breaking that particular rule. Besides, some of the documents in her study were highly confidential. Everyone knew better than to rifle through the Queen's Study.

"Is there something I can be of assistance with, Your Majesty?" a voice asked from behind her.

Elsa turned around to find a young servant, hands folded on her back, patiently waiting for her response with a serene smile. She didn't seem to think anything in this scenario was out of the ordinary. Which, in itself, was something out of the ordinary.

"Yes, please. Could you go and fetch Kai for me, ask him to meet me here?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. I won't be a moment."

True to her word, the servant returned mere moments later, followed by a red-faced, chair-pulling Kai, who, despite his physical exertion, still seemed to be in an excessively good mood.

"Good morning, Queen Elsa. What might I do for you?"

"Where… are you taking all those chairs?" the blonde asked, eyes scanning the stacks of chairs – at least thirty in total – that Kai was dragging behind him.

"Chairs? Oh, these, you mean? Nowhere. Just… Downstairs."

Elsa quirked an eyebrow at the vague and unsatisfying answer, but decided that the missing furniture from her study took precedence over Kai's seemingly random displacing of chairs. "Alright. Care to tell me what happened to my study?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand the question, Your Majesty," Kai replied with a confused expression plastered on his face.

Elsa merely stepped aside, motioning for Kai to look into the recently-emptied room. "My study. What happened?"

Kai shrugged, small smile now playing on his lips. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Queen Elsa. This is _not_ your study."

Even though she was pretty sure that, after all this time, she _knew_ where her study was, Elsa looked around, taking in the corridor around her. Unless someone had moved those three paintings of her ancestors, as well as the gargoyle near the stairs, from one corridor to another, this _was_ her study.

Still, Kai was not in the habit of spouting un-truths, so Elsa made her way into the empty room, staring out of the window and looking out over the bay. This was, most assuredly, the view from her study. And even in Arendelle, the bay would not suddenly be moved overnight.

Probably.

"Kai, I don't know what you're pulling here, but I'm terribly certain that this is my study."

"Terribly sorry to say this, but you're quite mistaken," Kai smiled broadly. "Your study is in the east wing, second floor."

"_What_?"

"I was under the impression that Lady Anna had discussed this matter with you?" Kai asked, slightly less sure of himself now.

It was as if someone had lit a candle in Elsa's mind, suddenly illuminating the matter at hand. "Ah, of course. The joined study, yes. She did discuss that with me. She neglected to inform me of the actual change, though. Well, no matter. I'll go and talk to her about it."

"Should I show you the way, Your Majesty?"

Elsa's thumb and forefinger reached for the icy engagement ring, turning it around on her finger. "That won't be necessary, Kai. I'll manage to find it on my own, and I'd hate to keep you from your… duties."

They said their goodbyes, and Elsa stalked down the corridor. Honestly, she was too enthusiastic about sharing a study with Anna to be annoyed at the slight inconvenience of finding her study to be missing. It was probably nothing but a failure in the communication-chain. Absent-mindedly twirling her ring around her finger, she looked down sharply when it suddenly felt like a pulse of energy rippled through her hand, starting from the ring and fading away around her wrist.

Homing in on her ring's counterpart was quite easy – due to their rings, Elsa _always_ knew where Anna was, if she put her mind to seeking her out. Reaching her, however, was made slightly more difficult by the pulse coming from her ring, which occurred three more times before she reached the door, and left her with a foreign, not unpleasant, sensation throughout her body.

The sign on the door read _Royal Study_, which the blonde considered to be a very apt name for the space they'd be sharing. She slowly opened the door, finding Anna behind her large mahogany desk – clearly taken from the King's Study – on one side of the room, and her own desk, as well as the other missing furniture, set up on the other side.

"Elsa, you found it!" Anna chirped happily, twirling a quill between her fingers and splotching some ink on her cheek.

"Yes," Elsa muttered dryly, closing the door behind her. "Despite the fact that _someone_ forgot to inform me of any pertinent changes to my study's location…"

Anna looked at her sheepishly, before slowly blinking a few times. After blinking owlishly five times in a row, she suddenly snapped out of her daze, rummaged through a small stack of notes on her desk, and handed one of them to Elsa.

_Moondrop – I have taken the liberty of moving your study to the new Royal Study. Second floor, east wing, all the way at the end of the corridor. All your furniture has been moved, and I moved all your paperwork personally, so all your secrets are safe. I also let everyone know where to find us from now on, so we should be ready to go. See you soon!_

"There," the redhead grinned as Elsa put the note down. "Consider yourself informed."

Elsa chuckled dryly, placing the note in the bin next to Anna's desk. "I'm assuming you did a better job of informing everyone else?"

Anna nodded fervently. "Absolutely. I had Gerda brief all the servants, and Kai personally talked to the Weselton ambassador to inform him of the change in locale."

"Very good," Elsa smiled, sitting down at her own desk, and finding every piece of paper in the exact same position as where she had left if previously. Glancing around the room – her new study – she noticed another door on the other side from where she came in. "What's behind door number two?"

"An extra meeting room," Anna replied without looking up from her paperwork. "For when we both need to meet with people at the same time. Seemed like a wise thing to do."

"Very prudent decision, yes," Elsa murmured, re-arranging the paperwork on her desk before getting up and walking over to Anna's desk. "You did a very good job. I'm proud of you," she whispered, placing a quick peck on her fiancée's cheek, before cupping her chin and turning her face towards her own, and giving her a peck on the lips as well.

"Even though I failed to inform you and probably made you doubt your sanity?"

Elsa chuckled. "We all make mistakes, and no one's perfect."

"So," Anna hummed, elongating the vowel, "you're not angry, then?"

"Not at all," Elsa murmured as she moved back to her own desk, "though I might very well be after my meeting with Weselton's ambassador."

"Poor you," Anna smiled wryly. "Must be hard, being a queen."

Elsa scoffed – an action unbefitting of a queen – and shook her head with a sly smile. "You'll find out for yourself soon enough, Kitten."

There was a comfortable silence between them for a while, which Elsa used to read over her notes for the upcoming meeting, as well as occasionally look up and admire the amazing redhead working across from her. Yes, Anna would be quite the distraction while trying to get work done, but Elsa felt certain she'd get used to it, in time.

"Anna?" Elsa asked, suddenly recalling a question she had wanted to ask sooner.

"Hm?"

"Did you notice something odd about our rings, shortly before I arrived here?"

The redhead's quill immediately stilled as she slowly looked up, brow slightly furrowed. "No, I don't think so…" she replied hesitantly, cheeks and ears turning a soft red. "Um. Why do you ask?"

Elsa cocked her head sideways, mustering up her most penetrating stare and shooting it at the desk opposite her own. Everyone always wilted under the force of this expression, the queen knew.

Anna, however, didn't. She just… smiled.

"Nothing," the blonde eventually muttered with a small smile, and a shake of her head. "Forget I asked anything."

Anna looked as if she was going to reply, but her words were cut off by the knock on the door, which opened slightly to reveal one of Elsa's attending servants. "Your Majesty, the ambassador of Weselton is here to see you."

"Show him in, please," Elsa responded, schooling her face into one of fake politeness, knowing full-well that it would not last long.

Elsa had never visited Weselton, and only met a few of its dignitaries in person – all of whom had been remarkably similar. Like the Duke of Weselton, they had all been short, scrawny men, either with grey hair, or bald. Or, in the Duke's case, wearing a toupee that did not even attempt to resemble actual hair.

The ambassador was no different, which led Elsa to believe that the entirety of Weselton was just made up from people of this archetype. Which made her feel rather sorry for the women of Weselton, and made her feel just the tiniest bit guilty for thinking so poorly of an entire duchy.

"Ambassador, please have a seat."

"Of course, Your Majesty. You look radiant today, as always," the man chirped, his voice high-pitched and scratchy. "Rather an odd choice of venue for the meeting, if I may say so," he continued, looking around idly.

"I do not see how meeting in my study could be considered odd," Elsa remarked dryly, her politeness already starting to waver dangerously.

In response, the ambassador suspiciously eyed Anna, who was diligently working on her own paperwork, not even acknowledging the fact that there were others in the room. Really, Elsa admired her work ethic. "Oh, right. You haven't had the pleasure of meeting my fiancée yet, have you?" Elsa asked pleasantly. "Ambassador Angrir, meet Lady Oaken of Hellmark. Soon to be Queen Anna of Arendelle."

The ambassador got up from his seat, bowed to Anna, who acknowledged him with a sincere smile and a dip of her head. "Pleasure to meet you, ambassador."

"Now, shall we get to business, good sir? I feel confident that we both know of more pleasant ways to spend our time."

"Of course, of course," the man murmured, quickly taking his seat again. "I was informed that you wished to amend the trade agreement with our duchy?"

"Yes," Elsa replied solemnly, nodding her head a few times as she reached for a piece of parchment from one of her drawers and handed it over. "Unfortunately, Arendelle is at war. Because of that, we will be stockpiling many of our resources for the hard times that are ahead of us. As I'm sure you'll understand, this means we'll be able to supply Weselton with less as well."

The ambassador was silent as his eyes scanned over the text in his hand, brows furrowing more with every line his eyes took in. "This is a most unfavourable development, Your Majesty."

"I'm quite aware of that, ambassador. We would have been able to be more lenient in the cutback if Weselton had pledged its support to our cause. However, since the Duke decided to dis-associate himself from the kingdom and its hardships, we'll have to take more severe measures to keep ourselves safe."

The ambassador nodded sadly. "Yes, I understand. I have attempted to reason with the Duke, but there are other voices in his head. More… southern voices, I dare say. He refuses to listen to reason, unfortunately."

"King Wulfgar of the Southern Isles has painted himself as a profitable ally," Elsa agreed. "Which he is, certainly. But having lost the support of several other kingdoms does not quite seem worth their alliance. But who am I to involve myself in your political affairs. Do forgive me."

The ambassador smiled up at her sadly. "You're a very wise monarch, Your Majesty. I only wish _our_ leader was half as considerate. The proposed changes to the trade agreement could have been far worse, still."

Elsa grimaced slightly. "Truth be told, I did consider ceasing all trade with Weselton. My advisors repeatedly told me that would be a foolish thing to do, so I think most of the credit goes to them."

"My only concern right now is the ceasing of wood trade. Weselton does not have any forests of its own, and without the wood we get from your kingdom, we'll… well, it would not be pretty."

"Unfortunately, that is not something I can compromise on," Elsa frowned. "We'll need the wood ourselves, for the construction of Arendelle's defences, the expansion of our war fleet, and the inevitable repairs we will need to make."

"Very well," the ambassador nodded slowly. "I'll make sure to relay these changes to the Duke, and inform him that, despite my best efforts, I have not been able to change your mind."

"I highly doubt these were your best efforts, ambassador," Elsa said with something that probably resembled a smirk.

"Well, Your Majesty, I think we both know that it does not matter how much effort I put into this endeavour. It would all be in vain, so I might as well just accept the circumstances."

"Very well. Let the Duke know that he is welcome to return to Arendelle to discuss the trade agreement with me personally, if he feels the desire to do so."

The ambassador merely got up from his seat with a grim chuckle. "Doubtful," he muttered, bowing to both Elsa and Anna, and taking his leave swiftly.

Anna looked up from her work with a small smile. "He wasn't nearly as bad as you led me to believe when you scheduled this meeting."

"We've had… less pleasant encounters in the past. And I did not expect him to take the alterations as well as he did."

"All the better, then," Anna smiled. "We really don't need more enemies than we already have…"

* * *

Standing on the rocky cliff, wind whipping around him and sending his cape flying behind him, he wondered if he should continue. He could get closer to the shoreline, but it would require some acrobatics. He took one step to the edge, looking down.

At least four-hundred feet down. A long fall, if something were to go wrong. And since the bottom of the cliff seemed to be lined with sharp, jagged rocks, which jutted out of the water for at least half a mile onwards, he would not have a particularly soft landing. If something were to go wrong.

But nothing would go wrong. He would make sure of that.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep, steadying breath. The sound of a roaring mountain lion carried on the wind, audible for a split second before being whisked away by nature. He knew better, though. There weren't any mountain lions around these parts.

As he opened his eyes again – eerily green – he jumped forward, landing on a tiny outcropping of rocks about five feet below. He took another leap, barely thinking, down to a small crevice, descending another ten feet with ease. Instinctually, he turned sideways, stepping off the crevice and sliding down until he reached a gnarly branch from which he could take some support.

It took him mere minutes to reach the jagged rocks at the bottom of the cliff, leaping from the first to the second, hopping from the second to the third, and jumping from the third to the fourth – all the way until he reached the edge of the violent water. Waves crashed around him, but the rock that now carried his weight was high enough for them not to be a threat.

At least for now.

On any normal day, he would be able to see as far as the eye could reach from this spot. He shook his head with a sigh, cursing his luck. Of course, on the day he arrived here for his reconnaissance, it would be misty. Not just faint traces of fog, but an entire, impenetrable block of clouds hanging above the seas.

Still, returning to the Onyx Tower without the information he was sent to retrieve would be tantamount to suicide. Lady Yuwin was bound to be in a foul mood for weeks. Even on his travels throughout the kingdoms, he had heard the stories of her botched coronation. He had also picked up on little bits of information that led him to believe one of them – the fool Clint – had been captured and was currently imprisoned.

So, when he returned, he wanted to do so with good news. At least that _might_ prevent an unpleasant experience. Possibly, perhaps.

He closed his eyes again, taking another deep breath as he gathered his wits. A bit of fog would not deter him. He was smarter than nature, surely. He just had to- Ah, of course. The solution was so simple, so elegant. How could he not have thought of this sooner?

The elegant, screeching sound of an eagle soaring through the sky could be heard for just an instant. When he opened his eyes, they were brightly yellow, and he marvelled at his own ability. It was as if the fog had suddenly lifted, and he had no trouble seeing into the distance. Much farther than any human would have thought possible.

What he saw was slightly surprising though. In the good way, for a change. There, all the way in the distance, behind floating ice floes and choppy waves, were four ships. Four. _Only_ four.

The largest of them seemed to fly the flag of Denmark, which was to be expected. Oddly enough, the others appeared to be sailing under the flag of DunBroch – a kingdom hardly known for their naval presence. The defence was almost suspiciously weak. If they could find a way across the ice-riddled waters – and they probably could, even if it _did_ seem to be a veritable death-trap at first glance – they could invade the southern kingdoms, catch them by surprise, and besiege Arendelle from two sides after picking off its allies one by one.

Yes, yes. This was good. Lady Yuwin – or was it Queen Yuwin now? Was the coronation even completed? Was it a lawful coronation to begin with? – would certainly be pleased.

Turning around, he closed his eyes again, repeating the process he had performed atop the cliff. The sound of the mountain lion echoing on the wind told him he was good to go, hopping from rock to rock, and scaling the cliff with an instinctual ease.

* * *

It was a little odd, being in the Grey Gardens, and not being a prisoner. Now that she was here of her own free volition, Novirrin had taken to leaving her room from time to time, wandering around the remarkable city.

Everyone obviously knew who she was. She'd pretty much made sure of that when she had attempted that stupid threat at the courtyard. Yet, somehow, no one seemed to hold a grudge against her. Guards greeted her amicable when they passed her in the street, all the shopkeepers were polite and sweet, children laughed as they ran in circles around her, enticing her to play tag or some other frivolous game.

It was as if they could see inside her mind, and see that she was no longer the person she had been barely a week ago. She was pretty sure they couldn't, though, which made the entire experience more surreal.

Making her way into a more secluded part of the Grey Gardens, Novirrin found herself surrounded by the city's namesake – a forest of grey-trunked trees, with leaves in varying shades of grey, grey shrubbery dotted around here and there, grey grass underneath her feet, and grey moss covering nearly every surface.

She idly lowered herself onto a bench – the remnants of a long felled tree, actually – and stares at her surroundings. It's surreal. All of it is. Not just this grey forest, but the Grey Gardens, the people in it, their leader… Yet, this place seems to make more sense than the world outside the walls ever did.

She was so entrenched in her own thoughts, Novirrin didn't even notice someone sitting down beside her, until there was a brief brush of shoulder, and a scent of jasmine that hadn't been there before. Turning to her side revealed a woman, young, tall, and very beautiful, with olive skin, strikingly green eyes, long, pitch-black hair, and an abundance of gold jewellery, ranging from a large, elegant earring to a sizeable collection of bracelets.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" the stranger asked, trailing her eyes over the grey foliage above them. "Very peaceful."

Novirrin had never been really versed in social etiquette or small talk. It had not been a part of her upbringing, nor had they taught her in the Greybell military. And it had certainly not been instilled in her during her time serving Violet Yuwin. Which might explain her bluntness.

"Who are you?"

The stranger did not in the least appear to be bothered by her lack of politeness. She just threw her head back and laughed, loudly and freely and entirely carelessly. It was a mesmerising sight.

"My name is Esmeralda," she answered eventually. "And you are Novirrin of Greybell."

"And how do you know that?"

The woman laughed again, so freely that Novirrin could not even imagine how it must feel to be that person. "You're quite the talk around town nowadays. The people of this beautiful city do not see magic often. And when they do, they talk about it. At first, it was Esmeralda this, Esmeralda that. And then you arrived, and now it is Novirrin such, Novirrin so…"

Novirrin felt her eyebrows raising. "You're…?"

The black-haired woman – Esmeralda – hummed affirmatively.

"I thought I was the only one here?" Novirrin continued, eyes firmly trained on the grey moss surrounding her foot.

"No," Esmeralda replied wistfully. "Had you been here a few weeks earlier, you would have, though. As far as I know, that is…"

"How did _you_ end up here? I'm pretty sure you don't work for-"

"I don't work for anyone, love," Esmeralda replied immediately, staring her down defiantly before deflating a little. "I used to be on my own, getting by through my gift… Regrettably, I eventually had to resort to thievery – something my gift is very well-suited for – and the Judge did not take kindly to me… um… terrorising his people.

I was caught and brought back here in a cage, on the back of a cart. I spent some time in the dungeons before I allowed anyone to get close to me and talk. I did not think any good would come from it. The Judge has a wicked reputation… But we sorted the whole issue out, and voila, here I am."

Novirrin hesitated for a moment, wanting to ask about Esmeralda's magic, but knowing that it could very well be personal, and they were not supposed to actively discuss magic inside the city walls. The raven-haired woman seemed to pick up on the unasked question, though, and quirked an eyebrow.

"Want me to show you? No one will know…"

She gave a stiff nod, curiosity overtaking her caution. Magic had always fascinated her – whether it was her own powers, or those of the people around her, there was something inherently interesting about magic.

Esmeralda didn't move, though. She just sat there, staring at Novirrin, who was left wondering what was going to happen. After about ten seconds, however, she started noticing it. It wasn't anything tangible, but a fuzzy, soft, and not entirely unpleasant feeling that seemed sprung in her brain, slowly overtaking it entirely.

And Novirrin could not take her eyes away from the emerald green eyes of the woman opposite her. She could not help but admire the shine of the black hair, and the way it waved down to her shoulders and onto her back. She couldn't help imagining running her hand across those olive cheeks, marvelling at the softness of the skin beneath her fingers.

And then she smiled. Pearly white teeth visible between those luscious lips, pink tongue darting out to seductively wet them, and Novirrin felt a foreign heat overtaking her entire body. She had all these feelings running through her mind, and yet, somewhere in a far corner, she was fully aware of the fact that these weren't _her_ feelings at all.

"Do you want me?" Esmeralda husked, voice breathy and low, no more than a seductive murmur.

And the answer was so painfully simple, that it slipped past Novirrin's lips before she could even give the question any thought.

"_Yes_," she breathed out heavily.

Esmeralda ran a hand through her dark hair, smiling alluringly. "If you really want me, you can have me… Just take your shoes off and give them to me, and I'll be all yours…"

There was no doubt in Novirrin's mind that this was the right thing to do. She was already unlacing her boots, and the simple fact of the matter was that the request was entirely logical. _Of course_ Esmeralda wanted her to hand over her boots. It made perfect sense.

Novirrin handed her boots over with a dopey grin, feeling entirely pleased with the way things were going. If her boots were the price she had to pay to be with this goddess of a woman, then she'd happily-

The moment Esmeralda took the boots into her hands, clarity returned to Novirrin. She jumped up from her perch, yanking the boots away from the devious seductress with a yelp. "What did you do to me, you witch?"

Esmeralda just laughed that free laugh of hers again, throwing her head back. "You said you wanted to experience my magic. It really doesn't work that well with no one around, as you can probably imagine. And you're the only one here. I could hardly charm myself – even though I do think I'm irresistibly charming, most of the time."

"Okay, so you can charm people to get their shoes. Big deal," Novirrin snarled, still feeling uncomfortable, the lingering thoughts about soft lips and smooth skin slowly fading from her mind.

"Do not worry," Esmeralda started, entirely serious now, "the remaining thoughts and feelings will be gone in a few minutes. And, in order not to make things uncomfortable between us, I promise not to use my charms on you again."

Novirrin nodded slowly, her mind returning to its original state at a rapid pace again. Esmeralda was right, she _had_ asked for a demonstration. She probably wouldn't have if she'd known what it entailed, but that was water under the bridge now. "So, you can make people do things, because they're achingly desperate to gain your favour?"

Esmeralda nodded, eyes slightly clouded. "I can convince men and women alike to hand over all their savings. I can convince parents to give me their firstborn child, simply because they find me irresistible. I can order someone to kill himself, and he will oblige out of a warped sense of love for me."

"That's…"

"I know," Esmeralda sighed, looking entirely unhappy. "I know…"

* * *

Elsa was done with her paperwork for today. She had been for a while, really. It was just really rewarding to pretend she was still working, so she could secretly spy on Anna's meeting with a woman Elsa had never met before.

That was quite the oddity, since she had been handling meetings with nearly every council in the city – ranging from merchants to sailors and from blacksmiths to doctors – for years. This woman, however, she did not recognize at all.

"Thank you for meeting with me, Lady Oaken. I realize you must be ever so busy."

"It is no problem, really," Anna replied warmly, clearly putting the stranger at ease immediately. "I was told you have an urgent matter to bring to my attention?"

"Afraid so, Milady. I'm aware of the impending war – town criers have made sure everyone is aware, and I know your time is probably better spent-"

"Please," Anna interrupted gently. "War or no war, we will not neglect our own people. Tell me what it is I might do for you."

"Of course, Milady. I imagine you remember last week's storm?"

Anna nodded empathically, clearly worried about the issue at hand. Elsa frowned, pretending to be reading a manifest of something or other, still wondering who this woman might be.

"Well, it caused severe damage to the roof of our west wing. It was not in the best of conditions to begin with – funding has been low for a long time now, not that we would ever complain, since we can only exist because of the Crown's generosity. Now, however, we need to make repairs before the rooms there can be used again."

This threw Elsa for a loop. There weren't many buildings in the city that were large enough to actually have several wings. As far as she could recall, it was just the castle, City Hall, the hospital, and the largest inn. All of which were in pristine condition.

Anna nodded slowly, using her quill to scribble something down. "Say no more, I understand. While it is, technically, not in my power to do so, I will make sure that a carpenter comes by tomorrow to assess what needs to be done, and the repairs will be financed by the Crown. I'll also try and see if we can, possibly, increase your funding a little."

The woman looked utterly grateful and relieved. From her body language, Elsa assessed she was just about ready to jump over the desk and wrap Anna in a hug. "Thank you so much, Milady. Would that really be possible?"

Anna grinned. "I cannot make any promises," she said before leaning forward conspiratorially. "But I just so happen to have some pull with the queen, so I might be able to work something out."

Five minutes later, the woman had gotten up and left with a curtsy. Elsa was still pretending to be reading, but didn't miss Anna's growing smile.

"You can put that down now, Moondrop. No one to pretend for anymore."

Elsa put the papers down with a matching smile of her own, staring at the door for a moment. "I never met her. Who was that?"

Anna hummed as she finished what she was doing, before putting her quill into the inkwell and leaving it there. "The headmistress of the orphanage. And, now that we're talking about it anyway, could we perhaps review their funding?"

Elsa turned towards the shelves behind her, frowning at the different folders. "I don't actually recall having had anything to do with the orphanage, come to think of it," she muttered. "Which probably means everything is still as my parents left it."

"Is that a good thing?" Anna asked hesitantly, taking up a spot next to Elsa and peering at the folders.

Elsa heaved a sigh as she traced her finger over the spines of the folders in front of her. "Honestly, I doubt it. My parents weren't known for being philanthropic."

"There it is," Anna suddenly exclaimed, pulling out an unassuming grey folder.

Elsa sat down at her desk again, releasing a little 'oompf' as Anna plopped down in her lap, smiling unabashedly, waiting for Elsa to open the folder and reveal the paperwork.

As soon as the paperwork was out on the desk, both their smiles instantly melted off their faces.

"This is all they get?" Anna asked incredulously.

Elsa shared the sentiment, leaving through the rest of the papers. "That can't be right, can it? Surely there's more…"

There wasn't more. The orphanage barely managed to scrape by, being able to feed the orphans, but only barely. With the funding they received, it was a miracle the institution was even operating after all these years.

"Elsa, we have to do something about this," Anna murmured indignantly.

"We will," Elsa assured her. After a short pause, she continued. "Tell me, what is the budget we have available for embellishments inside the castle?"

Anna did not even have to consult her books to be able to provide Elsa with a startlingly accurate answer. "And how much of that do we need?"

Anna smiled crookedly. "I may or may not have denied every request for new paintings and sculptures. I approved three new picture frames to replace a few that have been damaged over time, but that's all."

Together, they wrote up the documentation needed to approve of the repairs to the orphanage roof – to be carried out the following day – as well as fixing up anything else that needed it. They also calculated the orphanage's monthly funding, eventually deciding to cut into the Castle's finances – they really didn't need all that money just to buy fancy artworks for corridors and rooms where no one ever came – and nearly tripled the orphanage's funding.

"I'm assuming you'll visit them tomorrow and explain the changes?" Elsa asked as she and Anna signed the final documents and placed them on the stack that Kai would take away at the end of the day.

Anna merely murmured something, neither a yes nor a no, looking altogether pleased with herself.

Elsa decided to just take it as a yes. After all, Anna enjoyed making people happy, so there was really not any doubt about the matter. "Want to go do something together?"

Anna immediately nodded enthusiastically. "Sounds like a really good idea."

"Did you have anything specific in mind?" Elsa asked mirthfully.

"Snuggling in this chair sounds pretty enticing," Anna easily replied, nestling her head in the crook of Elsa's neck. "And no, you don't really have a say in the matter."


	25. Chapter 25

**Yes. Uh-huh. Mhm. I know. This chapter is so overdue, you probably all thought I died or something. Well, good news is: I didn't. Obviously. I was ill for a while, during which I may have **_**felt**_** like I was dying, but everyone assured me it was just the flu, and I was being a big whiny baby, so we'll refrain from talking about that.**

**Now, after being ill, there was catching up on all the missed work. That was no fun. But I got that done too. And then my wife and I decided to be selfish little brats for a change. Y'see, we didn't actually have our honeymoon, even though we got married **_**months**_** ago.**

**So, now I'm on my honeymoon. And I obviously have more important issues to attend to than writing. Like, being with my wife, and stuff. I'm actually writing this while she's taking her afternoon nap (don't judge, okay? Afternoon naps are awesome!)**

**So, my updates will be really slow for a little while longer, but after that I PROMISE (see that, T3l4m0n? I PROMISED!) to get faster again. Aaand while I'm not particularly sorry about the slow updating (I have good reasons, after all), I AM really sorry about not informing you lovely people of anything of this. I'm also a little sorry for this pretty long Author's Note. Oh well, nothing I can do about that now.**

**Enjoy?**

* * *

He wished to go home. Desperately so. But his lady had given him an assignment, and he had seen what happened to those who failed their assignments. That, he knew, was an experience he would rather forego. In fact, his frail old body might not even be capable of enduring such strenuous circumstances…

And so he found himself sitting on the pavement lining one of the main streets of Vistor, one of the major cities of Greybell. He had exchanged his usual outfit – furs and silks and linens – for something more… inconspicuous. But his job would sure be a lot less dreadful if he weren't wearing these stinking rags, made out of cheap cotton.

Anything for his lady, he mused silently. And no one would ever believe he were a mere beggar if he wore expensive clothes. And that _was_ the most sensible cover for his search here…

As a fisherman passed him by, he swiftly grabbed hold of the man's leg, begging for money with one part of his mind, while letting the other part being flooded with the images. Gathering clouds on the horizon, pushed forward by an eastern gale. Schools of fish gathering in the bay, milling around in the slightly warmer water. A lonely woman, sitting at a small wooden table, hunched over the fire, crying about her husband having to leave again…

The fisherman shoved him backwards, face filled with disgust, spitting at his feet. No useful information gained, although he should find a place to hide out before those gathering clouds actually came to unleash their contents…

The next person to pass him by was a young woman, wearing a flowery dress that looked to be brand new. His hand clamped around her ankle, again begging for some coin to support him. As always, the images came immediately and unbidden. A dashing young man presenting her with a bouquet of flowers. Two figures looking down on her, a smiling woman and a frowning man. A half-packed suitcase, stuffed underneath her bed.

He had been at this for too long. He was starting to lose focus, and it became harder and harder to concentrate on the information he was trying to gain from these people. He was looking for signs of magic, not weather forecasts or young brides ready to run away from home to avoid their father's scorn…

He had learned how to master his gift at a young age. Hadn't had much choice in the matter, really. The images could not be stopped, and they always appeared. All they needed to breach his mental barricades was a sliver of physical contact with any other human. When he was young, it had driven his parents away from him. The love of his life hadn't understood either, and even when he focused on the most mundane of their knowledge, everyone considered it a violation of their privacy.

So he had started violating people's privacy deliberately. What had once been his curse, now became a blessing. It was simple enough to touch the right people, glean the information he needed, and rise through the ranks to become a highly positioned politician…

Which had, eventually, after many decades, brought him into contact with Violet Yuwin. Back then, he had no idea about _her_ powers yet. Or her plans for that matter. He had not even wanted to touch her, necessarily, but shaking hands was customary before a meeting…

The information he had pried from her brain had been… remarkable… He had instantly learned about her powers, and those of some of the people surrounding her. About the Onyx Tower. About the origin of magic, and their place in the world… So much information that it had sent him staggering backwards…

Lady Yuwin was perceptive, of course. Foolishly enough, he had been reluctant to reveal his gift to her, at first. It had taken _her_ gift to make him see clearly again. To make him join her cause. Of course, he had been expressly forbidden from touching Lady Yuwin _ever_ again.

But he was fine with that. Her mind was not a pleasant place to be in.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, focusing his mind on its current task again. As a group of guards passed by him, he leisurely held out his hand, feeling the skin of their hands brushing against it. So many images, following each other so rapidly that they were nearly indistinguishable.

Nearly.

A small wooden cottage, in the middle of the woods. A positively giant oak tree, looming over the cottage and rising above the foliage surrounding it. A raven haired woman with emerald-green eyes, golden bracelets shining in the sun. A feeling of strong affection for the woman, not his own…

It wasn't much… but it was a start.

* * *

It was obvious that the citizens of Arendelle did not bear witness to this very regularly. _This_ being the queen and her fiancée, arms linked, strolling down the streets of the city, followed by a contingent of guards – four of which were carrying heavy coffers – and a beast the size of at least three men, made entirely out of… ice.

They had to be forgiven for their gawking, surely? Especially so when the icy creature spread its wings, took to the air, circled overhead a few times before landing besides the queen's redheaded fiancée, who patted it as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

A large throng of citizens decided to follow the royal procession, see where they were going and what they were going to do… And eventually, they all ended up near the orphanage gates, watching the procession march onwards towards the front door, where the headmistress was already standing, alerted by one of the many rascals that had been privy to the queen's arrival.

"Your Majesty, Milady," she muttered with a deep curtsy, the orphans around her mimicking her actions clumsily. "I had not expected to meet you here…"

Elsa smiled. "No, I imagine you wouldn't have… Could we perchance move this inside?"

"Oh! Yes, naturally!"

The entire group walked inside, the orphans darting out of their way and hiding behind corners – only the bravest ones venturing a smile and a wave – making their way towards a small office.

"I'm afraid it is not much," the headmistress started, before immediately being interrupted.

"It is fine, I assure you," the queen smiled kindly, gently positioning herself on one of the visitors' chairs.

Anna did the same, waiting several moments for Elsa to continue speaking, before realizing she had absolutely no intention of doing so. "Oh, right. I suppose I'm the one to do the talking today," she muttered, half to herself, with a small chuckle.

Elsa shook her head fondly, a small smile gracing her lips, whereas the headmistress merely looked on in surprised anticipation.

"Well, first things first," Anna continued, louder this time. "I have sent word to Master Gustavson about the repairs that needed to be done."

"Yes," the headmistress nodded. "He and a handful of his apprentices are currently inspecting the west wing. He said that you had asked him to make an inventory of all the repairs that would be necessary, rather than just the damage from the storm?"

"Well, he's a fast worker," Anna smiled. "And he is correct, of course. Due to the low budget the Crown has been providing you with over the past decade or so, the building has become slightly run-down. Don't get me wrong, you did admirably with the provided funds – there was simply not enough coin to do everything that needed to be done. So, to make up for that, we will be financing the entire refurbishment of this orphanage, as well as the courtyard and playground surrounding it."

"I-I cannot possibly thank you enough," the headmistress stammered, hand pressed to her heart.

"There's absolutely no need," Anna said with a radiant smile. "Furthermore, Queen Elsa and I have taken a look at the monthly allowance you receive…"

There was a slight lull, during which Elsa flawlessly took over. "I am afraid the orphanage has become one of those institutions that simply slip through the cracks of the system. My parents set the allowance when the orphanage was founded, and all its information ended up in a small folder that disappeared in between all the other ones. Upon their deaths, I took over the kingdom and all its finances, as you well know. However, there was no one to inform me of the orphanage's need, leaving me to believe that it is something my parents dealt with personally, rather than delegating it to one of the servants…

Now that it has been pointed out to me by my fiancée, however, we've reviewed the documentation, and come to the conclusion that the monthly payments you receive are… somewhat lacking. A royal courier will come by later today to deliver the paperwork detailing the amendments we have made, but you might be happy to know that your monthly coin has nearly doubled…"

"Oh, goodness gracious," the headmistress gasped, tears springing to her eyes.

"As for these chests we've brought with us – they contain three months of payment. Hopefully, you will be able to use this to invest in better clothing, furniture and some extra employees. We trust you will use the money wisely…"

"I… I do not know what to say, Your Majesty… I… Thank you…"

"You needn't say anything," Elsa said with a sad smile. "These changes should have been made much sooner, and I am sorry that they were not. At least, now everything will be better…"

A short knocking at the door interrupted them, the headmistress stifling a sob to call the visitor in.

"Ma'am, my apprentices and I are finished- Oh. Your Majesty, Milady… I wasn't aware of your presence," the carpenter said, quickly bowing before the royals. "We've finished our rounds through and around the building and made a list of the necessary repairs, as instructed, as well as the materials and costs."

"May I see it?" Elsa asked, hand already extended.

"It's… quite a list, Your Majesty…" the man muttered as he handed the parchment over.

Elsa quickly skimmed over the notations, Anna peering over her shoulder, both faces stoic and unreadable. "Very well," the queen eventually spoke. "Would you please send this to the Royal Study, and start the repairs at the earliest convenience?"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

* * *

"Oh! Oh! I've got an idea! How 'bout this: we dress Maximus and Angus up as fearsome beasts, use them as a distraction for the guards, so we can all slip through the front gate undetected!"

Rapunzel barely looked up from the paper she was reading, arching a dainty eyebrow at Merida's ridiculous suggestion. "This plan is, arguably, even worse than your previous one. I imagine neither of us would like to see our horses be slaughtered, which is what guards do to fearsome beasts. Also, I doubt they'd leave the front gate unguarded if fearsome beasts attack. If anything, they guard it more heavily. Adding to that: good luck getting Maximus to dress up as anything other than a horse."

"Right," Merida grunted, leaning her head against the window. "But I haven't heard you come up with anything better yet!"

"Just because I'm not spouting nonsense ideas like you, Merida, does not mean I don't actually have something cooking."

"Oh, do tell, lass!"

"I'd rather not. There are a few factors I need to look into before I give any rumour to my plan."

Merida merely heaved a deep sigh, softly bashing her head against the cool glass. "I don't see what the big deal with this Judge lad is anyway."

"The Judge of the Grey Gardens," Rapunzel started, finally looking up, "is one of the most powerful men of the Northern Kingdoms. He commands entire armies, Mer, and he should not be underestimated."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. I vote to just ignore him as long as he ignores us."

"Did you know that the Judge was responsible for ending the rule of Raveran?"

"Rave-who?"

"The previous occupant of the Onyx Tower, and, according to rumours, a powerful sorcerer."

Merida merely huffed, running her fingers through her red mane. "We have a powerful sorceress on our side. I'm sure we'll manage to do just fine."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather be sure," Rapunzel murmured with a weak smile.

"Fair enough. How 'bout this? We take the armour of some patrolling lads and dress up as guardsmen… Then we can just walk into his city and do whatever we need to do to get him on our side."

"Grey Garden protocol is to always make sure you can be seen from the city walls. Their security is too tight for your plan to work. Although, I must admit, it is remarkably sensible-"

"Why thanks," Merida smiled proudly.

"- considering it came from you."

"Hey! What's that s'posed to mean, lass?"

* * *

Taking a walk never failed to clear his mind and lift his spirits – no matter the time of year, the time of day, or the weather. However, when Hans stepped into his office and found three birds sitting on his windowsill, each carrying a note on its little leg, his heart skipped several beats. Perhaps this would be the good news he craved.

The first bird was a small sparrow, meaning the news came from close-by. As he detached the little note and unfurled it onto his desk, it became apparent that it came from within the city.

_Sir- Servants at City Hall got word to prepare Weselton's room. High likelihood of Duke returning to Arendelle. No word from Southern Isles. Yet._

"Well, that hardly constitutes earth-shattering news. Still, Elsa would probably like to know in advance. Stupid pompous blowhog returning to Arendelle. Duly noted," the prince muttered to himself, already throwing the little slip of parchment into the fireplace.

The following note was delivered by a pigeon, the birds he used for relatively long distances, and would, in all likelihood, contain word from one of the men he had sent out to find a way into the Grey Gardens.

_Ziirvw mvzi tivb tziwvmh gsivv wzbh zugvi wvkzigfiv dviv fmzyov gl tzrm vmgib hvxfigb rmxivzhvw zh lu ozgv dliw rh bfdrm hvmg nvm gl rmurogizgv gsv xrgb zxxliwrmt gl ifnlih lmv dzh xzkgfivw zugvi dsrxs gsv ivhg uovw dzrgrmt uli ufigsvi liwvih_

While the text would seem random and worthless to any average readers, Hans knew the secret code to unlock the actual meaning. Using one of his more mundane ciphers, which he could easily recall from his memory, he read the actual message.

_Arrived near Grey Gardens three days after departure. Were unable to gain entry. Security increased as of late. Word is Yuwin sent men to infiltrate the city. According to rumors, one was captured, after which the rest fled. Waiting for further orders._

"Well, that's too bad," he murmured to an empty room. I was really hoping to be the one to find the secret entryway into the city…"

He scribbled back a quick note to tell his men to keep looking, before turning towards the final bird, still patiently waiting on his windowsill. This one was larger than the others, and pitch black from beak to talon. And the only spies with the instructions to use ravens were the ones posted near the Onyx Tower…

_2551915722723 152617 26 12221726174245 141615227 252616172412 202617172625524 1724242017 1672613824 419 2519745198 6191524517 819192122723 419 255191717 172426 451722723 419 1122712 2019524 2026232225 152288 2519742271624 2019722419522723_

This message was slightly more difficult to decrypt, taking Hans several minutes to eventually get to the actual text his spy had sent him:

_Crowning was a disaster. Yuwin caused massacre, seems unable to control powers. Looking to cross sea. Trying to find more magic. Will continue monitoring._

Well, _that_ was certainly interesting news…

"Alright, big girl. We don't want to cause a scene, so I need you to keep an eye on things from above, okay?" Anna cooed, petting Newa's head affectionately. "And try not to scare the birds too much?"

The icy griffin nuzzled its beak to Anna's cheek, before pushing off from the ground and soaring up into the sky. "There," Anna smiled smugly. "Now we won't draw as much attention while we go shopping."

"Shopping?" Elsa asked with an arched brow, one hand on her hip.

"Absolutely. You don't have any appointments until four, and I'm done for today, which means we have exactly two and a half hours to actually have fun. Unless… you've forgotten how to do that?" she added, voice carrying a teasing lilt.

The redhead's grin grew only wider as Elsa shook her head with a small smile tugging at her lips. "Fine, fine. We can take the scenic route home, I suppose."

Anna easily linked their arms, sidling up to Elsa as she set off towards one of the many shop-lined streets. "I knew you would come to see things my way, Moonsdrop!"

"I honestly do not believe I have a lot of choice in the matter," Elsa smiled wryly.

"You're correct in that," Anna hummed, dragging the blonde towards a window filled with shoes.

"So much for being the queen of a kingdom," Elsa muttered with a roll of her eyes as they continued on inside.

Anna merely smiled as she looked over her shoulder. "As if you don't love every minute you spend with me…"

"I… really can't argue with that…"

* * *

**Yes. This chapter was a shameless filler. But I figured it'd be better to get something out there than getting nothing, right? Right?!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hello, all! Good news: I've returned from my honeymoon (I can hear you think: 'finally!') and am as close to catching up on my work as I'm going to get. So, I got my butt back to the writing desk, and started working on new updates again. From here on out, I will be aiming to update **_**at least**_** once a week. I can't promise I'll never falter in that rhythm, but I think it should be a good rule of thumb. Of course, that doesn't mean I can't occasionally update twice in a week. Or… thrice?**

* * *

The general sighed wistfully as he looked around the table and absentmindedly stroked his beard. Until today, he had never regretted his decision to retire two years ago. It had allowed his to spend time with his wife and children, who didn't have to worry about him being gutted in some battle or war somewhere. It had been a joy to actually be a part of his family.

That being said, sitting at this table, observing this meeting, and being expected to participate in it, was just too much. He was an old man, for heaven's sake! An old man who had spent his life fighting, planning sieges and defenses, and training young soldiers. What help could he possibly offer on the subject of flower arrangements, menus, and guest lists?

He had only barely managed to _attend_ his own wedding. He was definitely not the right man for this job. He suppressed a groan as the men across the table started fussing over the color of the napkins, while a group of men off to his side were still arguing over the pros and cons of having winter flowers at a summer wedding.

When he heard someone bringing up the idea of releasing hundreds of white doves right before the ceremony, he sullenly let his head fall onto the table.

Following the clearly audible thump, it took him several seconds to realize the entire room had fallen silent. Even though he didn't actually want to, he slowly lifted his head. As he had feared, everyone was looking at him.

"Something the matter, General?" one of the queen's respected advisors asked with an arched eyebrow, nostrils flaring in annoyance.

"Um, well," he started gruffly, using one of his weathered hands to rub his neck, hoping his face wasn't burning up as much as the skin under his hand was. "Not really. I just think you're all um… missing the point. Kind of."

"And how's that?" one of the other men asked. "What would you possibly know about planning a wedding?"

"Not the darnedest thing, Counselor," he admitted readily. "But I know a thing or two about war. And, in case you didn't realize, we're at war."

"Don't patronise us, old man," one of the younger men in the room spouted heatedly.

"Didn't mean to, son," the general groused back. "But while you're all thinking about color schemes and flower arrangements and food and music and guests and _doves_, I can't help but think what will happen when that bloody witch up in the Onyx Tower decides she feels like crashing our party, attacking us when we're distracted."

There was a stunned silence that stretched on for several seconds, before one of the men hesitantly spoke up. "I thought we were hosting this wedding to show that we weren't afraid?"

"We are," the general responded, not even sure which of the men had uttered the words, "but not being afraid only does you so much good when you're dead. Not being afraid is not the same as being a bloody idiot and not taking the proper precautions to prevent… Hell, I don't even know what we should expect!"

"I guess that's why you were asked to attend this meeting, then," a counselor muttered, "seems like you've got your work cut out for you, General."

"Heavens, what did I get myself into?" he groaned defeatedly, lowering his head back onto the table. All around him, the chatter picked up again, until, after a few minutes, the old general felt as if he were locked up in a cage with hundreds upon hundreds of cackling chickens.

* * *

He took a deep breath as he stood in front of the large, oaken door, staring at the serpentine handle, and hearing the murmur of voices coming from inside. It had been a long and harrowing journey back to the Onyx Tower… He had been forced to start it as soon as the summons from his Lady came, not finding the time to even change back into more comfortable clothes. Adding to that, it had been hailing for the majority of his ride, and he had to change horses four times…

And then, when he had finally arrived, one of the guards had told him he was to go to the usual meeting room immediately, where, apparently, the others were already waiting. With another deep breath and a furtive frown at his soaked robes, he pushed the door open, stepping into the dimly lit room and taking in the occupants.

"Druid," some of them muttered with a dip of their head, before resuming their conversations. He returned the gesture silently, taking his usual seat at the table.

"You look miserable," the man next to him sighed with a smile. "Long journey, bad weather?"

"Yes, Colton. And, unlike yours, my powers do not facilitate for easier travel," he responded with a tired smile of his own. "I can see it hasn't been easy for you either, though."

"How's that?"

"There's a little something… sticking out of your hair," he murmured, vaguely gesturing to the man's hairdo, where several sticks and leaves were still taking up residence.

The man shook out his head above the table, the twigs and leaves falling onto the shining surface, as well as several acorns, pebbles, and a lot of sand. "Huh, I guess you were right," the man laughed loudly, swiping the rubble onto the ground.

"I usually am," the Druid nodded sagely. It appeared as if Colton was going to say something else, but his jaws quickly snapped shut when the door in the back of the room opened and Lady Yuwin and Gregor came striding inside, taking their positions at the head of the table.

His mistress' eyes were cold and calculating as she looked around the room. "I hope you all have good news for me. After what happened with Clint… I do not want any more setbacks… Who wants to start?"

The silence was deafening, everyone looking around the room, avoiding eye-contact with everyone else expertly. It was the same old song-and-dance they did every meeting, the Druid mused silently. And, as always, Yuwin would point at someone to-

"Druid, what about you?"

"Well, Milady," he started, "I've been looking for more gifted individuals, as you ordered me to. Although I have not managed to bring anyone back here with me, I did find a lead on a rumored sorceress, living on her own in the woods. I inspected her cabin – where she was not present, evidently – but did not yet discover anything as to her particular gift."

"What did you find?"

"Lots of jewellery, Milady. Gold bracelets, earrings, pendants, rings, the whole works."

"That does not help us very much."

"I'm well aware, Milady. I'm certain I can find her. I might already have, had I not been instructed to return here for-"

"Are you suggesting it is _my_ fault that you were not yet successful?"

"That's not what I meant to imply."

"Good. Keep looking, Druid." She looked pensive for a moment, before turning away from him without a second thought and turning towards the group on the opposite side of the table. "Tell me about the Grey Gardens."

They all shifted in their seats, embodying the epitome of discomfort and nerves. Finally, the smallest spoke up. "We arrived at the Gardens without any issues. Novirrin wanted to parlay with the Judge and entered the city, ordering us to stay behind. She never came out again. By now, she's either dead or rotting away in a dark dungeon."

"Why did you not rescue her?" Gregor asked pensively.

"I wanted to, but the others overruled my opinion and told me to come back here for more… guidance."

Druid smiled weakly. He admired the little girl. She was barely in her teens, yet she showed more spirit than people three times her age. And he had seen her powers in action. She certainly was a force to be reckoned with.

"First we lose Clint, and now Novirrin," Lady Yuwin mused icily. "Perhaps I have placed too much faith in the worthless rabble I call my faithful servants."

The little girl sat up straighter. "With all due respect, Milady… You appointed Novirrin as our leader, and we followed her orders. If you want me to, I'll go back there right now and level the entire city."

The raven-haired woman, however, ignored her, turning to Colton. "What about you?"

The Druid watched as Colton leaned back in his chair, leisurely folding his hands behind his head. "Well, I had a lovely little stroll at the coast. Bit chilly, a lot of wet, but nice, overall. Also, clearly, Arendelle and its allies do not expect us to cross the sea, because their defenses there are… pitiful."

"How so?"

"Only four ships, Milady."

"You're certain?"

"Absolutely. Four ships. Three normal frigates, and one Royal Flagship. All flying the Danish flag."

"Denmark is a dangerous nation to face on the water, though," Druid mused out loud.

Yuwin nodded slowly. "Gregor… how is our little naval project coming along?"

"The ships are being outfitted to go where no ships has gone before. They should be ready soon."

"How many?"

"Twenty so far, Milady. But each of our ships counts as five normal vessels."

"Tell your men to work faster," Yuwin ordered decisively. "Denmark will be mine, and then we'll take things from there."

"My men are working as hard as they can, Violet. I told you this before," Gregor responded defiantly, drawing gasps from everyone in the room.

"Do it! Do it! Do it!" Violet screeched loudly, slamming her fists onto the table repeatedly. For the briefest of moments, the image of a petulant little toddler crossed the Druid's mind, before immediately being pushed away again.

Gregor shrugged vaguely. "I'll see what I can do."

Yuwin huffed and sat back in her chair, arms crossed and a slight pout adorning her features. "If they can't work harder, I'll come pay them a visit myself. I bet they'll work faster then."

Again, everyone was silent for several moments, waiting for their leader to continue with their meeting.

"Now, one more thing. We have reason to believe we have a spy-problem in or around the Tower. Any volunteers to solve this for me, and end up in my good graces?"

Several hands were raised into the air, resulting in a curt but pleased nod. "Very well, then. Get to it. All of you. Stop sitting around like you've got nothing better to do!"

The Druid gingerly got to his feet, his frail body weary from travels. He could actually feel is legs trembling as they carried his weight and he tried to find his balance. Before he could manage to do so, however, Colton brushed past him, bumping against his hip and causing him to stumble sideways.

In a reflex, he stretched out his arm to stabilise himself. He knew he was in trouble when his hand landed on something warm and soft, even before the images invaded his mind. No matter how hard he tried to focus it on irrelevant topics, he couldn't help losing his focus as the long journey caught up to his mental fortitude.

The Onyx Tower, surrounded by a hurricane of dark mist, manic cackling coming from inside.

A field full of dead and wounded men, women and children. Yuwin standing on the scaffold, crown at her feet, and tears in her eyes.

A beautiful blonde woman with startlingly blue eyes, sitting on a throne, smiling.

His own body, limply hanging from a rope, dangling off the side of the Onyx Tower.

As the images stopped flooding his mind, he felt a weight lifting off his shoulders. For the first time in months, his mind felt clear and whole, free from the numbness of his mistress' magic.

He gingerly let go of Yuwin's shoulder, aware of the fact that every single pair of eyes in the room were trained upon them.

"What," Yuwin hissed venomously, "What did you see?"

"Nothing of interest, Milady," he immediately replied, hoping his immediate response was not too suspicious.

"Tell me!" the young woman in front of him yelled loudly, taking care to put some distance between the two of them as mist started to seep from her fingertips.

"I would never probe your mind on purpose, Milady," he murmured with a bow. "I focused on irrelevant topics. You had spearfish for breakfast this morning, with a cup of mead. You were cold last night, so you had a servant bring you an extra blanket. You plan to go on a horseback ride tomorrow."

Yuwin narrowed her eyes suspiciously, gauging whether he was speaking the truth, no doubt. After several tense seconds, which each felt like a century, she flexed her fingers, causing the mist to disappear. "I knew I could trust you, Druid. See to it that it doesn't happen again."

And with those parting words, she turned around and left the room. Colton gave him a tilted smile. "Sorry, man. I'll be more careful in the future. I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," the Druid responded distractedly. He didn't have time to deal with apologies right now. He had to figure out a way to get out of the Onyx Tower and away from all these crazy people without arousing too much suspicion…

* * *

_Something is… wrong._

Being in the Onyx Tower was always an unnerving experience, even after all this time. It had taken weeks to finally get a position, mopping floors, sweeping streets, and dusting every surface available. All. Day. Long.

Still, it allowed for a steady stream of information, gleaned from listening in on conversations and meetings. The Onyx Tower was an impressive structure, but its walls weren't nearly thick enough to prevent voices from drifting into corridors.

"You!" a voice rang from the other end of the courtyard.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"What can I do for you, Master Colton?"

"When you're done here, there is some mess in the meeting room on the top floor you can clean up."

The man walked off before a response could even be formed, and so the sweeping of the courtyard continued.

The rustling in the rose bush was faint, and could easily be passed off as a small animal. At least, in any other place, because no animal was stupid enough to come near the tower if they could prevent it. When the thorny branches moved slightly in a non-existent breeze, it became evident that something was wrong.

Without any delay, the servant walked off into the nearest corridor, away from the suspicious rose bush. "Can't anything in this godforsaken place be _normal_," an annoyed voice grunted as the broom was set aside and the pace quickened.

"Something wrong?" one of the other servants asked, staring at the unusual speed of his colleague.

"No, everything's fine," the gruff reply came. "Master Colton asked me to clean up some mess upstairs. Could you finish sweeping the courtyard?"

"Of course, but-"

"Thanks!"

Mere minutes later, teeth clamped down on a bottom lip, worrying it as grey eyes scanned the corridor ahead. The feeling that something was wrong reared its head again, though there were no suspicious plants nearby. It took a minute to figure out what was wrong, but then the discrepancy made itself clear.

"This corridor is… not supposed to be a dead end," the servant muttered to the still air. "I'm sure I didn't take a wrong turn. I think."

Gingerly stepping forward towards the misplaced wall convinced the servant that this was, indeed, the right corridor, with the wrong wall. "This corridor leads to the spiral staircase downstairs."

"Exactly," a smug voice sounded from behind. "And if you're going upstairs, then why did you turn down this corridor? Or, more importantly, why are you talking to yourself?"

Turning around rapidly, the servant found Blair, the youngest of Yuwin's minions, standing on the other side of the corridor.

"Um. Wrong turn?"

The expression on Blair's face made it perfectly evident that she didn't buy it for a second. As she whipped both her hands forward, the servant pushed off the ground with both feet, sailing through the air for several long moments, and fully intending to push off of the confused wall.

It was tricky to avoid an attack if you never quite knew what your opponent was capable of. The servant didn't have time to focus on Blair, instead focusing on the wall behind, and the placement of feet against it.

It became painfully obvious that this would turn into one steaming heap of trouble when, instead of the hard bricks of the wall, the flying figure's feet met only more air. Surprised by the unexpected development, the servant landed on the floor harshly, skin scraping over the hard floor.

Looking up was a confusing experience – the servant was now on the _other_ side of the misplaced wall. "Did I… phase through it?"

Blair's lithe figure appeared, casually walking through the wall, followed by what appeared to be several really long snakes. "So the wall isn't a wall? That's a neat trick."

"I can't take the credit for that one," Blair smiled smugly, motioning behind the servant.

"Ah, Lady Ilta. Didn't expect to see you here," the servant laughed easily.

The other woman pushed off from the wall. "I think we can dispense with the pleasantries and formalities now…"

"But then what would we be left with?" the servant asked in mock-outrage.

"We'd be left with killing you," Blair glared menacingly, motioning her hands forward again.

"Ah, I see. Sorry, gotta go now!" the servant called casually, running past Ilta and throwing a quick wave backwards. "Nice talking to you!"

After rounding the corner, the servant immediately threw open a random door, running through yet another dark, dreary corridor. "Well, I guess my tenure at this rotten place has come to an end…"

The wall suddenly materializing halfway down the corridor was a surprise, but with a determined drawing of eyebrows, the servant continued to sprint at top speed, hoping that this wall would be exactly as solid as the previous one. "Which is to say, not solid at all."

"Ilta! What good does _that_ do us?!" Blair angrily yelled somewhere behind the servant. "Gods, you're useless!"

"Shut it, brat," Ilta's voice returned angrily, "or I'll show you just how useless I am!"

With a roll of hazel eyes, the servant dashed sideways, opening one of the windows on the right side of the corridor and wrenching through. Simple flat shoes weren't quite made for jumps like these, but nonetheless the servant landed on the roof of a lower corridor gracefully, suppressing a slight 'oompf.'

"I was wondering how long it'd take you to get here."

The servant straightened, looking at the figure on the other side of the roof. "Ah, Master Colton. Figured you're in on this little game of cat and mouse."

"Game? Hardly. Even if it is, I'm afraid this is the end of your fun…"

"Why? Because you're here? Sheesh, you're so full of yourself."

Colton smiled handsomely. "With good reason, you'll see."

A loud, clicking sound echoed through the air between them, and the servant merely arched an eyebrow as Colton lowered himself onto hands and feet. As he charged with speed far beyond what a man should be able to achieve in such a posture, the servant elegantly somersaulted over his form, only turning around just in time to see Colton walking off the side of the building, and crawling across the vertical wall, like a large, grossly deformed bug.

"Well, that's… something else," came the breathy remark with a soft chuckle. Only moment later, however, eyebrows drew together as Ilta and Blair made their way onto the roof. "Heh. Three against one? Can't we… um… talk about this, or something?"

* * *

"Come in!" Anna and Elsa called in tandem, responding to the knock on the Royal Study's door. It had become a habit for the two of them to, unconsciously, respond at the same time, which never failed to amuse and confuse the servants at the door.

The door only opened for enough to allow Gerda's head to poke inside. "Your Majesty, Milady, just a quick question, if I may?"

"Of course, Gerda," Elsa smiled, looking up from her work for a moment. "What is it?"

"Blue or green?"

Without thinking, the young queen responded with blue, smile forming on her lips as she heard her fiancée say 'green' at exactly the same time. Gerda looked pensive for a moment, twisting her lips to the side, before nodding. "Blue _and_ green it is, then. Thank you very much!"

And just like that, she left the two of them alone again. Anna chuckled softly, looking over at the blonde. "So, what did we just decide on this time?"

Elsa rolled her eyes fondly. "That's hard to say. Could be anything from flower arrangements to tablecloths, napkins, upholstery…"

"Perhaps your advisors just want to dye their moustaches?" Anna snickered, pushing her work off to the side for a moment.

"That'd be an interesting sight," Elsa admitted, getting up from behind her desk and perching herself on the armrest of Anna's. "But I really doubt it, Kitten."

"Mm, me too," Anna murmured as long, pale fingers wriggled through her fiery hard and scratched at her scalp. "I wonder why they keep coming to us with questions, though… Seeing as we've not even _once_ agreed on anything yet…"

"Gerda and Kai don't seem to mind," Elsa responded, clearly distracted by tangling her hand in Anna's hair. "Perhaps that, if they would mind a little more, they'd actually care to tell us what we're deciding on."

"Well, the fish or meat question was obviously for the buffet." Anna smiled as she leaned her head back against Elsa and closed her eyes.

"Obviously," Elsa reiterated with a fond roll of her eyes. "And we couldn't even agree on that."

"Nah," Anna sighed. "I agreed with you, but figured that if I went for the different one, there'd be a chance we'd get both."

"Aren't you a devious little monster," Elsa laughed heartily, getting up from her perch and pulling Anna with her. "We've done enough work for today. How about we make ourselves at ease in the library?"

"Will there be chocolate?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Elsa retorted immediately, causing Anna to scrunch up her nose in an adorable gesture.

"I suppose not…"

* * *

"Alright, beastie. Let's get out of here, just you and me," he muttered to the horse in front of him, securing the saddle and his bag tightly before he climbed onto its back. Slipping out of the Onyx Tower had been easy enough: everyone expected him to get back to his investigation, so there hadn't been much of an issue.

Ilta had asked him if he wanted to help track down the spy, but he had easily waved her off, muttering something about not having time for that. He spurred his horse on, trading out of the stables at an inconspicuous pace, nodding to the servants and guards as they stepped aside to let him pass.

"Thank Mimir," he muttered softly as he approached the final gate and checkpoint. "I'm almost out of this dreary-"

Several oohs and aahs caught his attention, causing him to reluctantly come to a halt and turn his horse around. Looking skywards, he immediately understood the surprised sounds everyone around him were making.

Up there, on the roof of a corridor connecting two spires of the Onyx Tower, were four figures. Even from this distance, he could make out Colton's wave blonde hair as he crawled over the side wall like a spider, circling another figure before climbing back up.

He also recognized Blair, casually standing on one side, using only her head to control the vines and thorny branches that were assaulting… a servant?

"It appears they have found the spy," he muttered to himself, eyes focusing on Ilta, who was sitting cross-legged near one edge of the roof. Very few people knew what that woman was _really_ capable of… Hence, very few people knew that she, perhaps more than anyone else, should inspire fear and a very healthy flight instinct.

He turned his horse around and resumed his leisurely trod towards the exit, stopping only a few paces away from the gate. With a deep sigh, he turned his gaze skywards. "Good grief, what has become of me?"

Then, without another thought, he turned his horse around and rode towards one of the guards. "Your dagger, please," he ordered, knowing no one knew of his desertion yet, and he thusly still had their respect.

As expected, the guard immediately handed the weapon over, looking on in confusion as the Druid rode towards the base of the tower, took a firm grasp of the dagger, and harshly stabbed it into one of the wriggling vines that extended all the way to the base of the structure.

The result was immediate as the vines stilled and Blair lost her concentration, the plants she was using to attack the spy falling limp. "What are you doing, old man?" she called down grouchily. "If you don't know how to wield a blade, you shouldn't get near them!"

He ignored the little brat, instead peering up at the spy. She, at least, seemed to have some common sense, pushing Colton away from her and jumping off the roof, immediately grabbing onto the vines. "My knight in shining armor!" he heard her jest, causing him to shake his head.

It took her mere seconds to climb down far enough to jump the rest of the distance, after which she immediately clambered onto the horse, sitting snugly behind him. "Well, everyone, this has been so much fun!" she called up to the roof, where Colton as already making his way down. "We should do this again soon!"

Seeing the guards running towards him, and Colton approaching from above, the Druid gave his horse a firm kick, hoping that the woman sitting behind him would not fall off as it suddenly dashed forwards. It would have been a shame to go through all that trouble and be forced to leave her behind…

Only after riding for nearly two hours did he deem them safe enough to set up camp, hiding away in a cold, damp grotto. The two of them hadn't exchanged a single word during their escape, and he was surprised to see her standing beside his horse as he attempted to dismount, holding out her hand.

"Don't be stubborn, old man. I can literally hear your bones complaining, so just let me help you off that horse. Least I can do, right?"

With a curt nod, he accepted the proffered hand, after which they lapsed into a solemn silence again. Only hours later, when they were sitting on opposite sides of a small fire and the horse was asleep, did she speak again.

"I can't for the love of me figure out why you helped me," she mused so softly, that he wasn't even sure he hadn't imagined it.

He chuckled grimly. "I figured you'd owe me one."

"A favour for a favour, hm? Seems fair enough."

* * *

**Soooooo… I'm really sorry about the lack of Elsanna in this chapter? :/**


	27. Chapter 27

**Confession time! I know it's taken me dreadfully long to update this story. And to be perfectly honest, I could probably have updated sooner. Problem is that, for the last few chapters, I've had some serious trouble writing **_**The Royal Commoner**_**. The main reason is that, while I have a general outline both in my head and on paper, I winged most chapters, improvising while my fingers fly over the keyboard.**

**Now, I've come to realize this approach provides decent chapters, but doesn't really help to move the story in the direction it needs to go. And as such, I was forced to take a good long thought as to **_**where**_** it exactly is that I need it to go. Hence, instead of writing, I spent copious hours staring at the wall, and driving my wife absolutely crazy. Although, to be fair, I'm probably the crazy one, discussing this story with our pets and doing voices so they could reply.**

**Also, while I have your attention… I feel that, maybe, I have not been showing my appreciation for all of you enough as of late. I've had a few moments where writing felt more like a chore than a hobby (this AN, by the way, is starting to read like a diary, for which I'm sorry). However, your positive (and sometimes critical) reviews have always brightened my day. I remember that, in the first or second chapter of my story, a reviewer commented about being in 'the first 100 reviewers' and I responded by thinking there would not even be that many. Now, we've surpassed the 600, and I cannot tell you how happy that makes me. You are ALL wonderful people, and this story would not be where it is today if it were not for all of you!**

**Now, finally, I want to address your attention to another Elsanna epic that recently finished. It's a personal favourite of mine, and I feel it's a must-read in case you haven't found it, or gotten round to it. So, please, go and check out **_**Feel, Don't Conceal**_**, by Kurrent. I believe it to be one of the best out there, and it served as an inspiration to **_**The Royal Commoner**_** in various different ways. Kurrent, I doubt you'll be reading this, but you have my gratitude for being as amazing as you are, and writing my personal favourite Frozen fanfic.**

**Now, on to the story!**

* * *

Anna was lying on her back on a bale of hay just outside the royal stables, watching Newa rolling around the courtyard in front of her, playfully swiping her paws at a flurry of icy butterflies that were fluttering around her massive head.

She didn't have any pressing paperwork or meetings for today, and had decided to spend the precious downtime doing what every noble in the castle seemed to be doing as of late: finding a way into the Grey Gardens.

However, Anna found that the fact that she had no idea what the Grey Gardens were, where it was, who governed it exactly, and practically everything else about it, were inhibiting her proficiency in making a proper plan.

She had attempted reading up on the subject in all four of Elsa's libraries, but had soon come to the conclusion that the Grey Gardens were notoriously self-reliant, and that even the history books didn't know all that much about the mysterious city. What they _did_ know, however, was that no hostile force had ever managed to invade it.

_Good thing we're not a hostile force. Necessarily._

Nevertheless, the lack of information was incredibly cumbersome, making Anna feel entirely useless in her endeavours to be useful. With a thoughtful hum, she sat upright again, looking at her security detail around her – most of whom seemed quite relaxed as they were basking in the sun, despite the chill evident in the air.

"Something on your mind, Milady?" Orvik asked with a gentle smile.

Anna felt her own mouth shaping into a smile as well. It had taken some serious effort, but the weathered Royal Guard finally seemed to loosen up around her. If only by a little. Anna, for her part, still considered it progress.

"I just realized I don't know your first name," she blurted out of the blue – even though that hadn't been what was on her mind, and judging from Orvik's facial expression, he was fully aware of that.

"It's Thomas, Milady," he responded with a slight frown and a dip of his head.

"I see," Anna hummed thoughtfully, before turning fully towards him. "Would you happen to know anything about the Grey Gardens, by any chance?"

Orvik weighed his head from left to right a few times. "I suppose I know more than a bit," he replied carefully, "though I'm far from an expert. The subject was covered during my training, many years ago."

"Really?" Anna asked, curiosity piqued.

The guard hummed affirmatively. "We had to gain some in-depth knowledge about foreign kingdoms, duchies, states and city-states. Their military strategies, their culture, their history. Information we needed to properly serve Arendelle's Royal Family in any imaginable circumstance."

"Could you tell me about the Grey Gardens?" Anna asked, taking another look at Newa, who was now chasing the butterflies around the small courtyard. "If we're going to have dealings with them, I want to be as informed as I can."

"A wise sentiment," Orvik grunted as he lowered himself onto the bale of hay beside the redhead. "I suppose I can tell you as much as I can recall. I wish it were more, though…"

"I'll take what I can get," Anna chirped with a smile.

"Very well… Let's see. The Grey Gardens is a city-state, founded about two-hundred years ago, which makes it one of the youngest, surrounded by kingdoms that date back centuries. It was founded by a wealthy family, in an attempt not only to keep themselves safe, but anyone who felt threatened by anyone else."

Anna hummed quietly, locking the information away for later reference and spurring Orvik on.

"There was a strict ruleset to be obeyed by anyone who wanted to be part of the community, and over time, it grew into a vast city, with even vaster walls surrounding it. In time, walls were built around the walls, and parts of the walls were torn down and rebuilt to make room for new districts. I've never been, but I've heard it said that the districts in the city are as different from each other as night is from day, and winter is from summer."

He paused for a while, turning to look at the icy griffin as it took to the skies and started circling high above them. "I know the walls of the Grey Gardens to be impenetrable. They're high and smooth, not a single ridge allowing you to climb it. Guards patrolling on top of it night and day, always being able to hear and see their colleagues. If an archer were to take one of them out, the entire city would know in a matter of seconds. Even if you'd get over the first wall, you'd be caught in the dead space between that wall and the next. And the same goes for the wall after the second."

"So, three walls that cannot be scaled," Anna hummed. "They don't make it easy, do they?"

"In my humble opinion, Milady," Orvik continued. "Invading the Grey Gardens is not the way to get anything. The Judge simply would not stand for it, and the moment you enter the city uninvited, diplomacy will be made impossible."

Anna nodded slowly. "I suppose I would not take kindly to someone invading Arendelle Castle just to have a talk with me or Elsa, either. That makes sense… Anymore insights?"

"The current Judge of the Grey Gardens came into power almost fifty years ago, now. Before that, the city was not particularly known for being anti-magic, or anti-anything, really. The Judge was responsible for that alteration in their foreign policy."

"Any particular reason?"

"No one knows for certain," Orvik wavered. "But I've heard it said that the Judge suffered some personal tragedy at the expense of magic, which turned him sour and unreasonable. Then again, others say that isn't so… that the old man is fair and just, if given half a chance. The fact that no one travels in and out of the city makes it hard to determine who is telling the truth on the matter."

"Of course," Anna agreed, watching Newa land again and saunter over to her. "No viable intel is our most prominent problem in this matter."

Orvik nodded weightily. "Viable intel is an integral part of every war and diplomatic relation."

Newa softly bumped her large head into Anna's side, cooing gently. Anna immediately felt her smile returning to her face. "I know you _could_ fly us in there, Newa. But we don't want to cause a panic and make enemies before we touch down on the ground, girl…"

Newa merely gave a small nod, seeming to understand Anna's words, and taking them as a truth.

* * *

Suspicions were all nice and well, but they didn't really constitute the solid ground upon which she preferred to build her plans. Nevertheless, at the moment, suspicions were all she had to work with. That, and common knowledge.

Rapunzel was just really glad she had been gifted with a sharp and inquisitive mind, which generally allowed her to turn her suspicions into something more substantial.

She took another quick look at the parchment in front of her, green eyes skimming over the names listed – most crossed out. _Only seven remaining. Seven possibilities. _She closed her eyes for a short moment, before opening them again, getting up from her desk and snatching the piece of parchment off of it.

On her way out of her chambers, the blonde casually tossed the slip of parchment into the fire, watching the flames eating away at it for a moment before turning around and making her way out. "If anyone comes to ask for me, tell them I should be back in my chambers in an hour!" she called to her handmaiden, a Coronan orphan she had taken in as her personal servant.

The list was now firmly stuck in her mind. Seven names, where there had previously been more than twenty. She had narrowed her search down considerably, but it wasn't quite good enough just yet. She just had to figure out how to strike more names off the list.

And hope her intuition had not led her astray.

On her way down to the servants' quarters, she was approached by a familiar face. "Hans," she smiled with a small dip of her head.

"Rapunzel," Hans smiled back congenially. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Rapunzel's smile grew a little wider. "Kitchens. I have a craving for chocolate."

Hans nodded a few times. "Why not send a servant? What are you up to, _Your Highness_?" he continued, playfully narrowing his eyes.

Rapunzel huffed a laugh. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't," Hans confessed, scratching his sideburn. "I'm used to knowing everything going on in here, and you, my dear, are a bit of a riddle."

Rapunzel laughed again, fully this time. "But riddles are so much fun, Hans, why would you try to get rid of them?"

Hans took his leave from her with a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head, muttering something about her being a brat from time to time. Rather than taking the corridor to her left to reach the kitchens, she watched Hans turn the corner before heading down the stairs to her right, into the lower levels of the castle.

"Your Highness," one of the servants – one of her own servants – immediately curtsied, waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Helga," Rapunzel smiled with a nod. "Anything you can tell me?"

The servant smiled slyly. "Apparently, there are no brown wolves in Arendelle anymore. All extinct."

Rapunzel pursed her lips slightly, before biting down on her bottom lip with a slow nod. "That's good to know." And then, without another word, the servant turned around and hurried towards one of the laundry rooms. Rapunzel shook her head with a small smile, before turning around and heading up the same way she'd just come down.

_Another name struck from the list, then_. _We're getting there, little by little._

* * *

Anna smiled as she hurried through the corridor, seeing her fiancée already waiting for her outside the meeting room. "There you are, Moondrop!" she murmured, placing a gentle peck on the blonde's lips and wrapping her arm around her waist for a moment.

"Where else would I be?" Elsa asked, sounding intrigued. "We did have this meeting planned for two days now, after all…"

"I expected you to be in your – ahem, _our_ – study, immersed in work and entirely forgetting about the time. As usual. I figured I'd bring you tea and we'd walk here together, but oh well."

"I'm sorry to hear I missed that," Elsa smiled in return.

"Oh, we can have tea after the meeting," Anna shrugged casually. "It's no big deal."

"I wasn't talking about the tea," Elsa smirked in return, taking Anna's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Well," Anna started, "I suppose we can have some time to ourselves after the meeting as well."

As she opened the door to the meeting room, a cacophony of voices sounding from inside, Elsa looked over her shoulder. "No more work to be done?"

"There's always more work to be done," Anna shrugged. "But it can wait until tomorrow. Priorities, Elsa. _Priorities_."

"I'm glad I rank high on your list, then."

"The highest," Anna responded with a happy sigh as she lowered herself onto one of the two empty seats at the head of the table, Elsa taking her place beside her and immediately placing her hand on Anna's.

"Ladies, gentlemen! Please!" the blonde called out, beckoning for silence. "I understand you're all working very hard, but let's take a breather. You've asked us to be here to be filled in, and for our opinions, after all. And we can't make out anything if you're all shouting at the same time."

"Also," Anna cut in with a playful smile, "it gives people a terrible headache."

There was some laughter before everyone quieted down, one of the men standing up straight. "Your Majesty, Milady. You had previously asked us to make a list of arrangements for your wedding and present this to you when we were ready. Well, the list is almost done, but there are some… issues. On which we need your opinions."

"Alright then," Elsa smiled. "This should make a pleasant break from war councils and tax meetings. You may proceed."

The man nodded, sitting down and motioning over to one of the elderly women seated beside him, who got up from her seat in his stead. "Your Majesty, Milady, upon your requests, we have arranged decorations – green and blue – as well as the food for the buffet – flesh and fish."

Anna smiled widely. "Told you we'd get both if we just didn't agree," she muttered under her breath, before motioning for the woman to continue.

"We've also drawn up a seating arrangement – provisional, of course – which we'll send to the Royal Study to be approved."

"Very well," Elsa responded with a nod. "So far, so good."

"There has, however, been some discussion on the topic of foreign dignitaries."

"I see," Elsa muttered, staring out of the window for a while. "Seeing as many of them have recently visited us for the Yule celebrations, or are still present because of the looming threat in the north, I do not think it necessary to send out too many invites. The rulers of Corona and DunBroch have already let me know that their children – Princesses Rapunzel and Merida – will be present in their stead." There was a brief silence as Elsa turned towards Anna. "What do you think, my love?"

Anna crinkled her face for a moment, still not being used to actually being asked about her opinions. "I think we should at least send invitations to the ones who were not present for Yule, and to the nations and kingdoms closest to us."

"I agree, Your Majesty," one of the men chimed. "This wedding is, after all, an important international message. And an opportunity for diplomatic relations to be improved, no less."

Elsa nodded slowly. "Very well. Please make a list with everyone you believe should be invited, and send it to our study. We'll go over it ourselves, cross out those who we believe should not be in attendance, and add anyone you might possibly have missed."

"Of course," everyone chimed, already busily taking notes. "There is also the issue of locale," one of the other men, who had been quiet so far, piped up. "We would personally prefer something… public."

"How about the marketplace?" Anna asked immediately. "If we'd remove the stalls, would there be enough space?"

There was some internal debate amongst the members of the meeting, hushed whispers and excited murmurs, before they returned their attention to the two women again. "We believe that would certainly be a possibility, Milady."

Anna nodded with a determined face. "It's the most public place in the city. It would send a powerful message, right?"

"Absolutely," Elsa immediately cut in. "And if my fiancée wants to get married in the marketplace, then so it will be."

"We'll make it happen, Your Majesty," a man called, whom Elsa and Anna both recognized as being one of the members of the Marchants' Council.

"Thank you," the two women chimed in unison.

"Now," yet another man started, "the final issue we need a bit of advice on is… security."

"Could you elaborate?"

"Naturally. We realize this wedding is a momentous day for the two of you, and the kingdom as a whole. And we also realize the message we want to send out. 'We're not afraid of this war, and good times are still taking place.' But, well… one of the members of the organization pointed out that we'd be fools not to take the necessary precautions."

"A wise man," Elsa responded with a serious expression. "We do not want to take any unnecessary risks. _If_ someone were to be planning anything on our wedding day, we need those plans to be squashed before they come to fruition. We _cannot_ let anyone take this day away from us. Furthermore, I _will _not let _anyone_ ruin my wedding day."

Anna gave Elsa's hand a soft squeeze, smiling at the gathered people. "Make any arrangements you believe to be necessary. I'll have my personal guard come by to both approve your decisions, and be involved in possibly taking more precautions. I expect you to follow his lead on this."

"Of course, Milady," the man said with a small bow.

"We will make sure that you have the men you need for the security precautions," Anna continued, looking at Elsa sideways, who fluently took over.

"The Castle Guard will be heavily involved, naturally. It might not be a bad idea to involve the Arendelle Military as well. I'll discuss this with a few of the senior generals."

Everyone seemed pleased with these arrangements, and after a prolonged silence, Elsa spoke up again. "Was there anything else we needed to discuss at this moment?"

"We… do not believe so, Your Majesty," the leader of the group shrugged.

"In that case," Anna chirped, "we'll be taking our leave and leaving you to your work again."

As soon as they stood in the corridor outside again, Elsa smiled. "Well, that went a lot more quickly than I had anticipated," she sighed happily.

"That it did," Anna nodded, looping her arm through Elsa's and setting off in a sturdy walk. "So we'll take that downtime now."

"Taking us to the library, are you?" Elsa asked with a smirk, drawing two raised eyebrows from Anna.

"We've literally not even left _this_ corridor! How did you know?"

"I hate to break it to you, Kitten, but you're a little predictable in that regard."

"Oh, am I now?" Anna asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I'm afraid so," Elsa nodded gravely, before the two of them fell into a comfortable silence for the remainder of the walk.

As soon as they entered the library, Elsa poked up the small fire already burning there, before comfortable settling herself in one of the two easy chairs. "I imagine you want to be read to?" she asked with an amused expression, already reaching for their current storybook.

"Actually," Anna huffed, "no."

"No?" Elsa countered, clearly surprised by the redhead's response.

"No," Anna reiterated, steadily walking towards Elsa, before slowly lowering herself on the blonde's lap. "I imagine the chance of us being disrupted in here is still… minimal?"

"Uhhuh," Elsa croaked.

"Good," Anna smiled, slowly leaning forward, and placing a gentle peck on Elsa's lips, before taking the bottom one between her own and gently nipping at it. "Then let's relax a little."

* * *

"I just _know_ she is up to something," Hans murmured, eyes fixed on the chair opposite his desk. "She's planning something, and I need to figure out what." He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "And I need to stop talking to my furniture, before it becomes a habit."

He took a moment to gather his wits, before turning his attention to the stack of correspondence on his desk. The seal of the Southern Isles immediately caught his eye. "Well, well, would you look at that?" he muttered to himself, taking the letter from the stack and opening it carefully.

Before he could get to reading it, however, a raven soared into his office through the open window, taking up residence on the corner of his desk and patiently holding one of its legs out, a small roll of parchment neatly attached to it.

"Another report so soon?" the redheaded prince muttered as he unfolded the parchment and started decoding the message – his eyes steadily growing wider as he made his way through the few lines of text.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Violet growled, eyes never leaving the little figured disappearing on the horizon. "Not only did we _not_ catch the spy in the Onyx Tower… We actually allowed her to _escape_, alongside a _traitor_, and we have _not_ been able to find either of them?"

"That seems about it," Gregor muttered dryly from two steps behind her. No one else had dared deliver the news to their mistress, so eventually he had taken it upon himself.

"And you're telling me that Briar, Ilta and Colton could not handle this situation together?"

"Apparently," Gregor intoned dryly again, not fond of going over details he had already provided.

"And Colton-"

"Couldn't track them, no. He said they had taken measures to hide their scent, and they apparently sent their horse away to lead him on a wild goose chase."

Violet hummed slowly. "Druid would know how their powers work. He's smart enough to evade capture for some time. Do we know where they are headed?"

"Arendelle seems a relatively obvious destination. Either that, or the Grey Gardens."

"No, we already caught the spy the Grey Gardens sent," Violet countered, shaking her head and causing her black tresses to flow in the wind.

"You're an idiot if you think the Judge only sent one, Violet."

He was prepared for the sudden assault of black mist, merely closing his eyes and waiting patiently. "The good news is that our ships will be reaching the Danish blockade rather soon. Presumably before Druid can reach either of those destinations. He's an old man, after all."

"And tell me, Gregor," Violet sneered. "Was the spy an old man too?"

Gregor closed his fist around the small object in his pocket, thumb running over the ridges engraved in it a few times. "Well… no."

Again, the mist assaulting his form didn't surprise him in the slightest. "Leave me," the young girl ordered. And, even though her magic wasn't harmful to him in the slightest, Gregor felt relief coursing through his body.

_Me and my smart mouth_…

* * *

**Okay, so this chapter is a little slow still, but I needed to write myself back on course. Next chapter will be more... eventful. Promise! **


	28. Chapter 28

**Well, well, would you look at that? Y'all didn't have to wait another eternity for me to get my update out. So, about that: I _am_ sorry that updating has been slow and erratic as of late. Life gets in the way sometimes, and there isn't much I can do about that. I received a whole lot of complaints about it - and I can't say I can really blame you, either - but I swear I'm doing the best I can. It's not like I'm deliberately not updating or anything... :/  
**

**Anyhow, this chapter is over twice the size of my regular chapters. Lots of stuff happening, so I hope y'all enjoy!**

* * *

_Another right? I thought we were heading south, to Arendelle? And this isn't the way to the Grey Gardens, either… Where in Mimir's name is she taking me? Who is this employer she mentioned?_

Without warning, the woman in front of him suddenly came to halt, causing him to walk into her back, face momentarily filled by thick black hair. "Oh, sorry about that," the woman smiled sheepishly, grabbing onto his shoulder to keep him from tumbling to the ground.

"Quite alright," he grunted, steadying himself and taking a step backwards. He had absolutely no intention of touching this woman and upsetting the gentle balance they'd somehow established between them.

"I thought we best take a little breather. You're not the youngest fellow out there, and I imagine you might want to dry your boots after making our way through that stream back a ways."

He lowered himself onto the mossy trunk of a fallen tree without preamble. "I think that sounds like a marvellous idea, Miss."

The woman scoffed, rummaging around a makeshift pack hanging from her shoulder. Within minutes, there was a small fire burning in between them, providing some much-needed warmth to his old bones. "Jasmine."

"What's that?" he asked, turning his attention away from his freezing feet.

"You can call me Jasmine," she said, giving him a smile – something he was still not entirely getting used to. "Instead of calling me 'miss' all the time."

"Very well," he responded with a dignified nod and a polite smile himself. It felt like the first time his lips made the upward movement in _ages_. "I must admit to being confused, however," he continued. "I was under the impression you were delivering me to the Grey Gardens… but we passed it some time ago. I figured we were headed to Arendelle, then, but now we're moving away from the mountain range as well."

The woman – Jasmine – smiled coyly. "Managed to confuse the oh-so-wise Druid, did I? Neat."

To his surprise, the woman started peeling off her leather riding gloves – she had continued to wear them even after they had sent their horse away to distract any pursuers – and held out her hand towards him. Apparently, his raised eyebrows managed to convey his confusion.

"Oh, come on! I know how your magic works, old timer. I'm pretty sure I can show you exactly what you want to know, and nothing else. Besides, it's not like there's anything in my head that's top-secret or anything. In that case, I'd have been a little more careful around you up to now."

He carefully took her warm and dainty hand in his own, marvelling at the different skin tones conflicting as their hands met. For a moment, he just saw the two of them, sitting in this little clearing. Then, his view seemed to speed up, making it appear as if he were running through the woods at a horse's pace, the trail being entirely obvious. Then, his mind seemed to zoom upwards, showing him the forests from above, and showing how the trail he _just_ learned about would take them to a smaller, unknown pass through the mountains.

Then, as quickly as it all started, Jasmine let go of his hand, and the images ceased. "I see. You're taking us around that small lake and off the known trails."

"Obviously," the woman smiled, throwing some more kindling onto the fire. "I'm pretty sure they sent at least two of your kind after us. My bet would be on Colton and Briar. I'd rather not run into them again anytime soon."

For a moment, he felt his eyebrows furrow. "Your mind… the view from up in the air… you must have seen these forests like… a bird? However did you manage that?"

Jasmine shrugged carelessly, muttering her reply halfway into the bag. Druid was fairly certain he'd mistakenly heard the words 'flying carpet.'

He decided not to push.

* * *

Anna smiled as she walked into the throne room. She was early, and only half of the seats were filled at the moment, but the gathered generals and advisors rose from their seats to bow for her as if she had already been crowned. She gave them a friendly nod, which they took as an indication to take their seats again.

She lowered herself onto her throne, noting that Elsa wasn't here yet, even though she left their study a few minutes before Anna had. Merida, Hans, Belle and Ariel were already seated in their respective seats, only half-way towards being attentive.

Anna couldn't blame them. It _was_ six in the morning, after all. Merida, especially, seemed to be having a hard time functioning properly.

Only a few minutes later, the doors opened again, revealing Elsa – majestic as always – and a small army of servants carrying goblets and pitchers. "Good morning, everyone," the blonde queen smiled, and even Anna thought she appeared far too awake for the time of day.

The servants started splaying out their wares as Elsa gave Anna a quick peck on the cheek, before lowering herself onto her own throne. "I had the kitchens prepare as much coffee for us as they could on such short notice. I need you to be functional today." There was a slight lull, in which Elsa focused all her attention on a single person. "That means you, Merida," she said with a teasing tone in her voice.

The princess merely grumbled something into her arms, head not coming up from the table until Rapunzel walked inside – also looking entirely composed – and took a seat between Merida and her husband.

"I'm awake, Yer Majesty," she grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

"Good. Just imagine your mother's reaction when I write her that you have not been partaking in our war councils," Elsa added, causing Merida to immediately sit up even straighter, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Low blow, Elsa," Anna admonished softly, giving her fiancée's hand a soft squeeze. "But effective, nonetheless. Shall we get started?"

"Let's," Elsa murmured, dismissing all the servants, and most of the guards. "As you all know, we're here to discuss ways of approaching the Grey Gardens. However, before we get to that, we have two additional points of discussion. Princess Rapunzel, if you would?"

The blonde nodded, lips pursing thoughtfully for a moment, before stretching into a small smile. "Okay. I believe we were all present when Queen Elsa and Lady Anna returned from the Temple of the Old Magic, but if not, I'll remind everyone that magic comes from ancient beings that walked this world long before we existed."

There were nods and agreeing murmurs coming from all around the table, before silence took hold again. "We were told that the only way to be in contact with them was through the mirror at the temple," Rapunzel continued. "Apparently, however, that only extends to _us_ contacting _them_. Seeing as I had a lovely little talk with my um… My… Well, the being that gave me my magic."

This time, the murmurs were decidedly more enthusiastic and surprised – the only ones who had already known about this being Elsa, Anna, and Eugene. "How?" one of the generals asked.

"Can we get them to solve this problem for us?" another immediately asked in return, only tacking on 'Your Highness' as an afterthought.

"She appeared in my vanity mirror," Rapunzel replied as if it were a casual revelation of the weather. "And she mostly enjoyed giving me riddles. She didn't actually look like she was going to help us out with anything other than advice."

"Who was it, anyway?" Belle asked, head tilted with curiosity.

"Amaterasu. The Sun Goddess. She told us that, while Elsa and Anna – or Winter and Justice – are destined to defeat Yuwin, they won't be able to do it on their own, and will need our help."

"Well, it is not like we were planning to send them out there on their own anyway, right?" Hans supplied as if it were quite obvious. "So this doesn't really _change_ anything."

"It was still worth mentioning," Rapunzel shrugged, getting nods from around the table.

"Very well," Elsa took over once everyone quietened down. "I believe Prince Hans also wanted to share something?"

The redhead prince immediately rose from his seat, clearing his throat in a manner most dignified. "Why, yes, dearest sister-"

"Not your sister," Elsa interrupted with a grin, causing chuckles from the entire council, safe from Hans.

"Deny it as often as you wish, Elsa, but it won't change the truth of the matter," Hans returned good-naturedly. "Now then, back to the topic at hand. I have it on good authority that Violet Yuwin's court is down one man."

"Because?" Elsa asked, not having received the specifics when Hans came to her with the issue.

"One of my spies was discovered in the Onyx Tower and had to make a… hasty departure, for obvious reasons. Things were looking quite iffy for a moment, but apparently, one of the _gifted_ broke free from Yuwin's powers and aided in her escape. They are currently on their way to Arendelle."

"How do we know he is not just pretending?" the first question came, no one exactly sure who had spoken up.

"I trust my spies implicitly," Hans shrugged. "This one even more than others. If she vouches for him-"

"What if the spy herself has been compromised?" one of the generals carefully ventured.

"She has not," Hans countered with an air of finality to his voice.

"Hans," Elsa started slowly. "Can you be absolutely positive about that? We still don't know _exactly_ how her powers work, and-"

"Elsa, trust me, she-"

"I trust _you_," Elsa interrupted with a raised hand. "But under no circumstance should we underestimate our enemy."

"So you just want to let this opportunity go by without taking advantage of it?" Hans asked, clearly not understanding the decision.

Anna saw the scowl forming on her partner's face before anyone else could, and decided to interrupt. "That's not what Elsa is saying, Hans. We just have to be _very_ careful, and take all possible precautions."

"Anna is right," Rapunzel chimed in. "We can't see the whole picture, and over-confident rulers never rule for very long."

Hans deflated a little, nodding his head slowly. "I suppose you are all correct. I may have gotten a little… ahead of myself. I'll make sure to take this through all necessary precautions."

To everyone's surprise, Belle rose slightly. "I'd be happy to go over possible actions with you, Your Highness," she offered kindly, smiling and nodding at Hans' acceptance of the offer.

"Now then," Elsa sighed deeply. "Anyone have any ideas about the Grey Gardens?"

One of the young generals immediately rose from his seat. "With your permission, Your Majesty?"

With a nod from his queen, the man anxiously cleared his throat. "I'm just left wondering… why do we need to go to the Grey Gardens?"

"Because the troll told us so," Anna heard her own voice supplying instantly, not even waiting for Elsa to respond.

"I mean no disrespect, Milady," the general continued. "But that's not a very good reason. We don't know the troll in question, and I cannot help but think that we should leave the Grey Gardens alone. At least for as long as they are leaving _us_ alone. Everyone knows not to fu- I mean, not to interfere with the Grey Gardens, and it is also common knowledge that they don't like people like you over there."

"I doubt Grand Pabbie would send us somewhere without a good reason, even if he could not give us that reason. He holds some powerful magic himself, and we would be fools to ignore him," Elsa remarked sharply.

"Adding to that," Ariel continued flawlessly, "we have actual intel suggesting Lady Yuwin is already trying to win the Judge's favour. Courtesy of Princess Rapunzel's interrogation of the prisoner who attempted to assassinate the Queen."

"I agree we most certainly need to visit the Grey Gardens," one of the senior generals added in. "The question is just, _how_?"

Again, Hans took to his feet. "Elsa, I've been thinking… We know you can control your icy creations… Do you think you could create one that can actually _talk_? If so, we send it there to fly in and deliver a message of goodwill."

Anna couldn't help the snicker that escaped her. "We've been working on the whole talking thing for a while, without too much success. Or… any success, actually. Besides, if these people detest magic as much as you all believe… It might not be the best idea to send a _magical ice creature_ to _fly over their walls_ to _confront their leader_. Just my two coppers," she finished more shyly than she began.

"Um. True," Hans conceded sheepishly. "But it was the best I came up with, I'm afraid."

"Diplomacy blows," Merida interrupted. "Bring an army, force 'em to help us, or stay clear of this whole mess."

"Worst idea ever," a general responded frankly, causing an enraged yelp from the redheaded princess. "The entire Arendelle military consists of about eight thousand soldiers. Add the foreign reinforcements, and we _might_ hit twelve thousand if we wait a while before we move. The Grey Gardens have marched an army of sixteen, only a few years back."

"It's true," Elsa confirmed unhappily. "When the extremist followers of the Blackbell Church confronted the Grey Gardens, they were annihilated by an army four times their size. I have no doubt they would attempt to do the same to us. Adding to that, it's their home territory, with which they are far more familiar than we can ever hope to be."

"How about an approach by sea?" the youngest of the generals piped up.

"There's no water near the Grey Gardens," Anna supplied thoughtlessly. "Haven't you looked at the maps?"

There was a tense silence where everyone looked at the general, who seemed to shrink in on himself. Honestly, Anna felt a little bad for putting him in such a situation unintentionally. "Well, moving on…" she muttered feebly, hoping to turn the attention away from the young man. "Any more ideas?"

There was a short silence, after which Rapunzel carefully got to her feet, smiling easily. "Well, we could always just walk through the front gate…"

That statement was followed by a stunned silence, which was eventually broken by a few careful chuckles. Anna couldn't blame them. It did sound like Rapunzel was cracking a joke. Still… the expression on her face told the redhead otherwise.

"And then you be burning down _my_ ideas, lass?" Merida grumbled from beside Rapunzel, who just gave a shrug.

"Care to add anything to your grand plan, Rapunzel?" Elsa asked, knowing there was more to it than 'just walking in.'

"If I must," Rapunzel smiled good-naturedly. "It's common knowledge that the Grey Gardens are a solitary city-state. However, amongst those who are well-informed, or have friends who are well-informed, it's also fairly common knowledge that the Judge is an awfully curious leader, who likes to know what is going on _everywhere._

Back home in Corona, I know of at least four servants who report back to the Grey Gardens. We've decided that they are harmless and let them walk, keeping an eye on them and reading their messages before they are sent. Taking them out of the game would merely result in new ones popping up. Ones we wouldn't know about."

"I'm sure he has informants in other kingdoms as well," Rapunzel continued. "I suggest we simply nab one of the Arendellian informants, and get them to vouch for us and walk us inside."

"Just like that?" Anna asked, hardly believing it could be that simple.

Eugene nodded with a small smile, mingling in the discussion for the first time. "One of the first informants we discovered in Corona, we could convince to tell us a bit about his profession. Seeing as we held no ill will towards the Grey Gardens, and vice versa. He told us that they can walk into the city unhindered, because they _were_ citizens, before being sent out as informants."

"Oi," Merida interrupted, "an' where do ye think we find ourselves one of these gowls?"

Rapunzel seemed genuinely happy that Merida asked, producing a small roll of parchment from between the folds of her skirt. "I have a list. It was a bit of a hassle to identify them, but my informants and I are fairly certain these two hail from the Grey Gardens," she smiled proudly, rolling the parchment over the table, towards Elsa.

"You have informants in Arendelle too?" Elsa asked with a weary sigh.

The only response came in the form of an innocently blinking princess with a smile that seemed just a bit _too_ innocent.

"Of course you do," the queen muttered under her breath, shaking her head slowly.

Elsa took a look at the piece of parchment, before passing it on to Anna. She, in turn, beckoned for Orvik to come forward. "Could you please go and find these two, and bring them here please? Take some from the guards outside, if you would."

Seeing his hesitation, Anna smiled warmly. "Don't worry. I'm pretty safe here, and I promise not to leave this meeting until you're back."

"Very well, Milady," he muttered with a bow, before practically storming out of the throne room.

For a while, everyone seemed to be at a loss as to what they should be doing. Anna was fairly certain Orvik wouldn't be long, as Kai was undoubtedly waiting outside, and he always seemed to know who was where. And if he didn't, then Gerda certainly would be able to help.

The ten minutes that passed before Orvik returned were mostly filled with quiet murmurs, everyone eagerly awaiting the continuation of the meeting, but having idle conversations with those next to them to pass the time away.

When Orvik eventually _did_ return, it was with two servants, a full contingent of castle guards, and Kai and Gerda. The servants – a boy and a girl – were marched in front of the table, where they anxiously looked up at the gathering.

"Do either of you know why you have been called here?" Elsa intoned gravely, staring the two servants down. The only response came in the form of two mute shakes of their heads, eyes growing even wider as they travelled from face to face.

"You stand accused of treason," Elsa revealed, voice full with unspoken threats. "Do you have anything to say for yourselves?"

The boy – barely an adult – raised his head. "According to the laws of the Kingdom of Arendelle, any accused has the right to know the charges, as well as the accuser."

Elsa nodded sharply. "I see you've read up on the specifics. Princess Rapunzel of Corona has laid the accusation on you. She believes you two to be informants for a foreign power."

"I plead not guilty," the man immediately responded, eyes narrowing at the blonde princess, who merely narrowed her eyes in return. "And I'd like to see some proof of my supposed treason."

Before Elsa could respond, Hans rose to his feet. "You appear to be forgetting your station, young man. You're in the presence of royalty, and we could have you hanged _just_ for the sake of your rudeness. Save us the trouble of verifying whether you're a traitor, too."

The servant seemed to consider his words for a moment, before nodding demurely. "Of course, Your Highness. I apologize. I am, however, not a traitor."

There was a laden silence, after which Elsa turned her attention to the woman, a girl that seemed a few years younger than Anna. "And what about you?" she asked icily.

Clearly less confident than the other servant, the girl merely shrugged her shoulders, offering no further explanation or excuse.

"Rapunzel, are you entirely sure about this?" Anna asked, feeling it would be wrong to throw around accusations without a solid reason.

"I am not in the habit of providing false, incomplete, or unchecked intel, Milady," Rapunzel muttered, taking another piece of parchment – carefully folded into a small square – and placing it on the table in front of her, unopened. "Once I had the list narrowed down to only five names, I had my informants tail them covertly. Three of the names were crossed off, because they turned out to be innocent. Well, two were innocent, the other one actually worked for my mother. But never mind that. We intercepted this letter, addressed to the Judge's office, from a carried bird sent out by her," Rapunzel continued, pointing at the female servant. "However, the message was written by _him,_ and he handed her this piece of parchment when they were both assigned to polish the armours in the main entryway of the east wing."

Again, there was a silence that hung over the meeting like an angry cloud, after which Elsa sighed tiredly. "Very well, then. You will both get a chance to plead guilty. That being said, we only need _one_ of you, so…"

She let the sentence trail off into nothingness, waiting for the servants to respond. The man only glared angrily, but the woman seemed to be giving serious consideration, eventually giving a resigned nod.

"I was sent here from the Grey Gardens a year and a half ago, Your Majesty, to report on the events going on in this kingdom."

With a flick of her hand, Elsa summoned the guards forward again. "Please take him to one of the guest rooms and place him under house arrest," she ordered with a dismissive glance at the other servant. "We'll decide what to do with him later."

While the servant was lead outside, Kai miraculously produced a chair for the remaining servant, who timidly sat down, staring up at the Queen on her throne. "Tell me about your work in Arendelle," Elsa commanded, less unkindly than before, but still stern.

With a deep breath and a solemn nod, the girl started speaking. "I was sent here about a year and a half ago, at which time the Judge sent out informants to all of the southern kingdoms in order to keep himself informed. We had already started getting word of an incoming attack on the city from the Blackbell Church, and he wanted to ensure that we wouldn't get any gnarly surprises from… any of you.

We entered Arendelle as a group, and then dispersed throughout all other kingdoms. I reached the capitol a few weeks later, and started begging in one of the alleys off the marketplace. After only three days, one of the elder servants here in the castle brought me to a workhouse close by. They asked an awful lot of questions about my family, my past, where I had come from, and the likes.

I'd rehearsed my background story extensively, and repeated it a few times over the two weeks I stayed there. Apparently, when they decided I was speaking the truth, they also decided I wasn't a threat, because they offered me a job in the kitchens of Arendelle Castle. I infiltrated my target before some of my colleagues even _reached_ their assigned kingdoms."

Elsa did not at all appear to be pleased by this recounting of events, but Anna could understand that well enough. With a soft squeeze of her fiancée's hand, she calmed the queen down before the blonde continued the interrogation.

"I see. And you report directly to the Judge of the Grey Gardens?"

"No, Your Majesty. Any letter I sent is addressed to the spymaster of the Grey Gardens, who passes on relevant information to the Judge. He himself can't possibly go through all our missives."

Elsa nodded slowly. "Very well. We need to have a word with the Judge himself."

"I can send a message," the servant offered. "I'm certain the spymaster will pass your letter on to the Judge, if it's signed by the Queen of Arendelle."

Elsa smiled sharply. "I prefer meeting face-to-face. I've been told that you could get us into the city."

The servant was silent for a long time, the throne room growing progressively colder as the silence dragged on. Eventually, when everyone except for Elsa and Anna seemed quite uncomfortable, the servant spoke up again. "I… probably could. But if I betray the Judge's faith in me like that… My life will be as good as over."

"We can protect you," Hans ventured, giving her his most winsome smile.

Apparently, that – combined with the steadily rising temperature – seemed to set the servant at ease. With a wavering smile of her own, she gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Please take her under house-arrest as well," Elsa called to one of the guards. "We will visit her later to work out the specifics."

"Now that we have a way in," she continued. "We need to decide _who_ will be going to the Grey Gardens. Obviously-"

"I would be honoured to represent Arendelle in her time of need," one of the generals interrupted.

Elsa rolled her eyes and dismissed the young man with an icy glare. "Obviously, Anna and I will be going."

There was a small uprising of affronted generals, sputtering words like 'danger' and 'responsibility.' Anna shushed them with a calming motion of her hands.

"Gentlemen, please! The queen and I were the ones that met with the troll. _We_ were told we needed to go on this journey in the first place. It's not something we can delegate to others, even to such capable men as yourselves." When the pompous men and their egos seemed slightly more appeased, Anna talked on. "And I think we should go with as high-born a party as possible. Make sure to leave a lasting impression."

Rapunzel nodded slowly. "I suppose that makes sense. He's less likely to ignore or harm us if he's dealing with a royal delegation."

"Count me in!" Merida bellowed, chair nearly falling backwards in her haste to jump up.

Hans rose too. "Naturally, I'll be coming along as well," he smiled handsomely.

"No," Elsa responded, causing Hans to splutter defensively. "I'm sorry, Hans. I can't allow you to come along on this."

"Why ever not?" Hans asked in an affronted tone.

"Because, Hans… I need someone to govern Arendelle while Anna and I are both absent. And there's not a lot of people I would entrust my kingdom to. But if I can't trust my _brother_, then who can I trust?"

"Not fair, Elsa, using my own words against me like that," Hans pouted, before turning serious and bowing his head. "But I'm honoured you entrust me with a job like this. I suppose I'll stay behind, and become King Hans of Arendelle."

"Yes, no, not happening," Elsa muttered dryly, attention already switching to Queen Ariel.

"I'd like to stay behind as well. My men are manning the blockade out at sea, and it wouldn't feel right to leave them out there without me."

Slowly, Belle rose from her seat. "Just out of curiosity, _ma Cherie_, but how are we planning to get to the Grey Gardens?"

Elsa seemed momentarily perplexed by the question, causing Anna to let a bubbly laugh escape. "We'll be flying, of course!" she exclaimed happily, making it sound like the obvious solution it was.

* * *

"Remind me to ask Gerda to prepare a stack of blankets," Elsa murmured as a third figure took shape in the courtyard, sparkling ice taking the shape of a winged horse. Anna looked at her curiously as she patted the beast's flank.

"Blankets?"

Elsa merely gave the group of horses a pointed glance, smiling as Anna followed her gaze and her brows furrowed in confusion, before eventually rising when realization dawned. "Oh, right. Blankets, yes. Good call."

"Thank you, Kitten," Elsa smiled, already focusing on the next horse.

"Do you think you could do something more epic, Elsa?" Anna suddenly asked. "For the two of us to ride on?"

"Did you have something in mind?" Elsa asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe like, a wolf. Can you do a winged wolf?"

Elsa focused for a moment, and when she opened her eyes again, Anna was appraising her creation critically. "No, this looks silly. Maybe a lion… Could you-"

Before the redhead could finish her sentence, the wolf shifted into a winged lion."

"Better, but not quite it," Anna muttered with a frown. "Maybe a turtle?"

"A _turtle?" _Elsa asked with clear disbelief.

"Yeah," Anna murmured, staring at the horses. "Turtles are great. Really sturdy and-"

"Maybe we should just stick with horses," Elsa sighed with an amused chuckle.

Anna shrugged. "I'll think of something before we leave tomorrow. If not, we'll stick with horses," Anna conceded. "Can I come talk with the servant?"

* * *

"That was horrid!" Merida practically screeched as she allowed herself to slide off the side of the horse, tumbling to the ground with the blanket draping itself over her.

"It wasn't so bad," Anna responded airily, gracefully dismounting the icy horse she and Elsa had flown and moving to help Merida up as the others landed behind them.

"It was freaking cold, _Anna_, and some of us do still suffer from freezing fingers!"

"Stop complaining, Mer," Rapunzel laughed as Elsa helped her off the horse.

"And why did we have to leave so bloody early, eh?" Merida continued to grouse. "I could've slept a wee bit longer!"

"You seem to be forgetting that you volunteered to come along," Belle supplied, causing Merida to deflate, looking from face to face, but not finding any support for her complaints. "She knows what I'm talking of," Merida continued to grumble, nodding to the servant standing behind the royals.

The girl in question vigorously shook her head, taking two steps backwards. "I- Um. No, I um… Don't think I should… agree with anyone?"

Merida merely sighed deeply, watching Elsa disintegrate their icy mounts while Anna and Rapunzel folded the blankets and hid them under a few bushes.

"Well then," Elsa sighed, looking at the grey walls visible just beyond the treeline. "Shall we move this along? I would really rather not give Hans a chance to _actually_ give himself a new title, and Kai will only be able to contain his urges for so long."

There were some snickers as they walked the few steps out of the forest, after which the immensity of the Grey Gardens immediately dawned upon them – the great grey walls looming in front of them, tops lined with vigilant guards whose attention was immediately on them.

Before them was the main gate, a great steel barricade that seemed insurmountable if the guards inside did not decide to open it for them. The guards in front of them eyed them warily as they stepped onto the wooden drawbridge.

"Huh. The moat is new," the servant muttered sheepishly, before turning her attention to the guards, who kept their halberds crossed. "Hi! I'm- Never mind, you don't really care who I am. Uh, let's see… oh, right! 'The cold winds from the south have driven me home.'"

Anna supposed it was some kind of password, because the guards immediately looked less menacing as they uncrossed their halberds and stepped aside, still eyeing them suspiciously. "Don't worry. They're with me," the servant muttered, motioning for them to walk through the gate, which was now slowly opening.

"Okay, so… This way," the girl murmured anxiously, leading them through the streets. Anna estimated it was close to noon, and the streets were bustling with happy-looking people. Nevertheless, they seemed all too aware of the fact that _they_ did not belong here, giving them a wide berth, and whispering as they walked along. "The Judge works in the main square. There's always a desk there, so people can like, walk up to him to voice their grievances and problems, and then he tries to help them…"

"Sounds like a good ruler," Anna murmured quietly, busying herself with forgetting everything she had heard about the Judge, in order to be able to go into the meeting with a clear head.

"He'll be expecting you, of course. There's no way the guards _didn't_ know who you were when I led you through the gates. I would um… recommend you all not to be aggressive. Or magical."

Surely enough, when they reached the main square, they found a single desk with an old man sitting behind it, bend over a piece of paper, scratching away with his quill. Gathered around them were hundreds of people, eagerly anticipating this meeting. Guards kept the people from stepping onto the square itself, and the only people in the large circle they had cordoned off were the Judge, two of his companions, and the party of visitors.

Anna found the Judge to be oddly unimpressive, considering he was supposed to be one of the most powerful men in the world. All she could see, right now, was an old, tired-looking man, whose body had aged too much for him to be able to stand up straight, and whose face looked haggard.

His voice, however, still carried strong. "I see you have managed to find me alright," he spoke clearly.

Anna saw Elsa stepping forward slightly. "My name is Elsa and-"

"I know who you are," the Judge interrupted. "All of you. Now, shall we get to the reason for your visit straightaway, or would you prefer to go through the formalities, followed by the pleasantries, and only _then_ getting to the point?"

"Rude, lad," Merida grumbled under her breath. Anna was fairly glad no one could have possibly heard that, at least.

Elsa, for her part, laughed amicably. "Not a fan of formalities and pleasantries, then? Well, we can work with that. We've come here to ask for your help, Your Honour."

"As everyone always does," the Judge responded with a hint of a sigh. "No one ever comes by just to say hello, Your Majesty. You would not be here if you did not need my help. Now, I'm great at brushing down horses, or sweeping streets, but I'm guessing you have people to do that for you already. Care to elaborate?"

"Arendelle is preparing for war, Your Honour," Elsa said, not showing any sign of hostility, impatience, or frustration. "Corona, France, DunBroch, Denmark, and several other kingdoms, have allied themselves to us. Against the Lady Yuwin of the Onyx Tower."

"So, the Ice Queen of Arendelle against the Dark Witch of the Onyx Tower. Two powerful sorceresses, squaring off against one another. I see no reason for the Grey Gardens to involve themselves in this affair. We have nothing to gain."

Rapunzel now also stepped forward. "You may not have anything to gain, but you have plenty to _lose_."

"Is that a threat, young princess?"

"No. It's a warning. You have the reputation of a smart, wise man. Surely you do not think that Lady Yuwin will just pass the Grey Gardens by when she marches her armies to Arendelle?"

"The Onyx Tower has already approached us, asking for our help in their cause," the Judge revealed, motioning towards one of the women standing behind him. "Their envoy saw reason, denounced the Onyx Tower, and is currently aiding in the training of our soldiers."

"If you do not work _with_ the Onyx Tower," Belle chimed in, "they will most certainly consider you an enemy. They will attack you, and then march on to Arendelle."

The Judge rose from his seat, motioning at the city around him. "Never have these walls been breached. Never has this city been defiled by attacks from _outsiders_. And it never will."

"With all due respect, can you really be certain when there is magic involved? For all you know, someone out there has enough power to manage something no one else ever did," Rapunzel countered.

The Judge seemed to consider her words for a moment, slowly nodding to himself. Just as he was about to speak, there was a low, rumbling sound that seemed to come from all around them. The kind, understanding smile that the Judge had just sported evaporated instantly.

"I see how it is, then. You come here, asking for help. But you never were going to take no for an answer, were you? You would simply take what you want, and step over our corpses if need be?"

"This isn't-" Elsa started to object, but she suddenly cut herself off when the Judge raised his hand, enveloping everything around them in a green glow.

Anna watched on in amazement as darkness started to envelop them, making it appear as if the sun had suddenly dropped behind the mountain range, leaving them in a night without a moon or stars. Or lanterns, candles, fires. Without any source of light, really.

She knew that, right now, panicking would be a sensible thing to do. She certainly heard Merida doing her fair share of it, somewhere behind her. Strangely enough, panic was the furthest thing from Anna's mind. She closed her eyes with a deep breath, focusing on the companion piece of the ring on her finger.

Somewhere to her right, about six steps, she could feel Elsa's presence. When she turned in that direction, however, she felt Elsa's presence _behind_ her, causing her to swivel around again. Somehow, the blonde kept moving around Anna with every turn she made, causing the redhead to frown.

_This doesn't make any sense. Elsa couldn't move around me that quickly. This darkness must be doing something to my senses…_

Anna had half a mind to start stumbling around in the darkness. After all, there was a fair chance she'd run into _someone_ at some point. Just when she took her tentative first step, however, she felt two warm hands coming to rest on her shoulder.

Turning around brought Anna face to face with a radiant figure, a woman with a blindfold. "Justice?" she squeaked.

The figure gave a small nod, corners of the mouth curling up slightly as she softly shepherded Anna into a specific direction. With Justice standing behind her, the darkness seemed less intense, and after only two steps, Anna could make out the unmistakable profile of her fiancée.

The blonde startled when Anna brushed up against her, looking at her with glassy eyes. As soon as Anna slipped her hand into Elsa's, however, the icy blues cleared up, and Elsa seemed to recognize her. "A-Anna? What's going on?"

"Long story," Anna mumbled. "Come on, we need to find the others."

With Justice gently guiding them in the right direction, Anna soon found herself surrounded by her friends again, who all seemed equally confused and baffled by Anna's uncanny ability to navigate the darkness.

Lost as to what to do next, Anna curiously turned around to face the radiant figure behind her. She was surprised to find the woman holding out her arms, like a small child asking for a hug would do. Acting on instinct, Anna stepped towards her and wrapped her arms around the divine figure.

Immediately, she felt the clarity and warmth inside her head. She was still herself, but, at the same time, she felt like she was something _more_. Somehow, she knew exactly what to do, what to say.

With a fair amount of concentration, and a broad sweep of her arm, she managed to banish the darkness, leaving them standing in the middle of the courtyard. All around them, people were looking on in amazement. The Judge seemed mostly shocked. The general – formerly Lady Yuwin's companion – seemed impressed. The other woman – raven-haired, emerald-eyed and breath-takingly gorgeous – looked… amused.

Anna felt her fiery hair blowing in a non-existent breeze, whipping around her face as if she were standing in the middle of a storm. Everyone on the courtyard seemed to have eyes only for her.

"Claude Frollo," she started, not knowing exactly where the words came from, but knowing them to be the right words nonetheless. "You have dedicated your life to the pursuit of justice. But you have been led astray by your own grief. You see enemies where there are friends, and you are quick to pass judgment."

The Judge narrowed his eyes at her, cocking his head sideways. "Who are you?" he eventually asked.

Anna felt a smile forming on her lips as foreign words flooded her mind. Somehow, this connection had a frighteningly calming effect on her. "Forseti. Ma'at. Themis. Utu. Kuan Ti. Many names, I carried in my time. Justice is a fickle ambition for a mortal, and you have not been gifted with it, like _this one_ has. Your attempts are admirable, though. For a mortal."

The Judge took one slow, hesitant step forward, his face an expression of pure awe. "Forseti, Goddess of Justice. I am… humbled to be in your presence."

"You judged hastily," Anna spoke, not unkindly but still with a stern note in her voice. "The danger comes not from within, but from without. Look in the shadows beyond the grey."

And just like that, Anna felt Justice's connection severing, her hair falling down onto her shoulders again. Without Justice, she suddenly felt bashful under the scrutiny of all these people, and she slowly slipped her hand in Elsa's, getting a soft squeeze in return.

The Judge took a few more steps in their direction. "Your Majesties, Your Highnesses, Milady. Verily, I do apologize for my-"

"Your Honour! Your Honour!" one of the guards shouted as he came running onto the square. Just when he reached them, alarm bells and horns started going off around the entire perimeter of the city walls. "We're under attack!"

"By whom?" the Judge asked, his attention immediately diverted.

"Um," the guard wavered, scratching his neck. "The trees."

There was a stunned silence, wherein everyone seemed to consider the guards reply.

"The… trees?" the Judge asked after a few seconds.

"Yes, Your Honour," the guard confirmed weakly. "They've uprooted themselves and are…_walking_."

One of the women standing behind the Judge also stepped forward now, sword already in hand. "It's Briar. I told you about her."

The Judge nodded, looking pensive for a moment. "The young girl, correct?"

"Yes," the woman replied curtly. "But she should not be underestimated. There's enough plants here for her to be extremely dangerous."

A fair amount of panicked screaming interrupted them, turning their attention to a small flower boutique at the edge of the square. Its windows were shattered, and long, green vines were crawling out of the building, ensnaring civilians and guards and dragging them inside.

Several tendrils suddenly fired out of the small structure, swiftly flying through the air in an attempt to reach the Judge. Before the old man could do so much as to take cover, the first of the lean vines turned white, stopping in mid-air. The second one, which was closer to Anna, fell limply to the ground, Anna's eyes not leaving it for a moment, until someone cut them off at the base.

When another tendril, thicker and thornier, lashed out, the air was filled with the sound of flying arrows. Moments later, it was pinned to the Judge's desk by three green arrows.

"I'm sorry," the Judge called out to them. "I need to protect my city!"

Elsa gave a curt, understanding nod, watching Belle as she led a group of civilians into the Judge's palace. "We'll help!" she called, already encasing the small flower shop in a solid block of ice.

They made their way towards the main gate, where most of the shouting seemed to originate. When they ascended the staircase, they came face to face with something none of them could quite fathom.

The forest looked like it had literally walked towards the city, trees now surrounding them on all sides, and angry vines and branches lashing out at the guards on the walls. Every now and again, a guard was ensnared and pulled off the wall, and down into the forest.

With the help of Elsa's magic, they made their way to the outer wall, where the fighting was the most intense. Unsurprisingly, Merida was immediately at the forefront, bow held out in front of her and firing off arrows at whichever branch dared to come too close.

What _was_ surprising, however, was the fact that the vines and branches actually seemed to go _down_ when hit with an arrow. Nevertheless, as Elsa started firing off sharp shards of jagged ice, Anna forcefully shook her head to get her mind in the game.

She instinctually grabbed the vine wrapped around the ankle of the soldier besides her, smiling as it immediately fell limp and stopped dragging the man off the wall. The weathered fighter gave her a curious glance, but was forced to immediately fend off more plants.

When Anna felt a familiar shadow falling over her, she turned around with a wide smile. She'd known that Newa had followed them here, of course. She could feel the icy beast flying behind them during their journey, just as she could feel it circling high up in the air when they entered the city.

She deftly clambered onto her back, after which Newa immediately took to the skies, flying above the battlefield. From up here, it all looked rather bizarre, Anna mused to herself. Remembering the incident at the courtyard – where she had accidentally disabled a vine just by focusing on it and _wanting_ to disable it – Anna focused her eyes on a particular stretch of the wall where the vines came closest to overwhelming the guards.

She was elated to see the plants scaling the walls start sliding downwards again. Even the trees that had lined up in front of it and seemed to be in the process of building a bridge over the moat stopped in their tracks, becoming _normal_ and _regular_ trees again.

_By Forseti, I like normal and regular_, Anna thought to herself as she watched the guards dismantle the sudden onslaught of plants on their walls.

As soon as they seemed to have the situation under control, Newa banked to the left, bringing her past the part of the wall where Elsa was – literally – working her magic. Remnants of plants littered the wall and moat beneath her, with felled and toppled trees scattered out in front of her. The guards were giving the Queen of Ice a wide berth, clearly not used to the sub-zero temperatures.

A little further to the left, Anna noticed the woman she had seen standing behind the Judge. Somehow, a dozen swords, spears, daggers and halberds were singing through the air around her, deftly cutting up the greenery. Merida was standing slightly to her right, firing off arrows at the attackers that weren't already being cleaved in half.

The redhead flew a little farther, stilling two more sections of attacking plants – it even _sounded_ ridiculous, Anna remarked to Newa – to give the guards time to make their situation more controllable. When she refocussed her attention again, she found the section to her right – which she had stilled first – to be nearly overrun again.

"We're not winning," Anna muttered to herself. With the wind up here, she could hardly even hear her own voice, but apparently _someone_ had heard them, because her mind was immediately flooded by images.

Ice shards cutting through vines. Trees splintering due to intense cold. Plants retreating before they could even attack a particular part of the wall.

Within moments, Newa pitched forward, dropping Anna off on the inner wall. She was surprised to find Rapunzel, kneeling on the ground, honey-blonde hair wrapped around a shrieking guard's arm, and mumbling something. Just as she was about to turn around – she was kind of on a mission, after all – the blonde's hair started glowing, and the man stopped his shouting, got up, and made his way back into the fighting while Rapunzel wrapped her hair around the next unfortunate soul.

She was surprised to find a group of soldiers marching towards her when she tried to reach Elsa. The men were rapidly moving _away_ from the fighting, and Anna could hear them complaining about the 'utter nonsense' they were dealing with.

Before they reached her, however, the raven-haired woman that had also been with the Judge during their meeting stepped in front of them. "Gentlemen," she smiled charmingly. "Going somewhere?"

"Move aside!" one of the men shouted, not slowing down. Just then, they suddenly all stopped at the exact same moment, and just stood there, looking ahead of them.

"You know… There's nothing more heroic than fighting in a war. It could just make a girl _swoon_," the woman muttered huskily, and Anna was surprised to find the men nodding, turning around, and cheering each other on as they entered the battle-zone again. Sure, the woman was beautiful, but that was…

_Never mind. Must find Elsa._

Soon enough, Anna managed to do just that. Elsa was standing in the same spot she had started out in, but Merida and the sorceress that had defected from the Onyx Tower were now right beside her, making sure that the plants wouldn't break down the main gate now that they had built a bridge out of their fallen tree-brothers.

"Elsa!"

"Anna? Thank Skadi you're alive," the blonde called in return, only ceasing her attacks when Anna gave a pointed glare at the plants crawling up the wall, which immediately fell back to earth.

"Neat trick," the unnamed woman muttered as she mentally picked up more weapons from the fallen soldiers around her.

"Elsa, you need to freeze the forest," Anna blurted without preamble. "The plants don't like the cold, and I'm guessing that whoever is controlling them doesn't care much for it either."

Anna looked down at the sizeable forest beneath them, before turning to face her. "I don't have that much power, Anna."

"No," Anna conceded. "You don't. _We_ do, though. Remember? I weaken the evil, and strengthen the _just_. I can give you the power you need to stop this madness."

"Great," the other woman muttered. "Not to be rude or anything, but people are sort of dying around us, so maybe hurry it up a bit?"

Elsa gave an annoyed roll of her eyes, before turning around again and spreading her arms out in front of her, hands directed at the forest below them. Anna wasn't quite certain how to channel her power into Elsa's magic, but the incident with the statue in the castle corridor was still fresh in her mind. Back then, touching had done the trick. She could only hope it would again.

Elsa's blizzard started out as a light snowfall that Anna would have called _charming_, before growing more powerful. Seconds later, the winds were whipping around them, causing soldiers to flee from the outer wall, to the relative safety of the wall behind them.

Anna wrapped her arms around her beloved from behind, enveloping her in a tight hug. Instantly, the blizzard in front of them seemed to grow tenfold, enveloping the entire forest with ease, toppling trees, dumping snow and sleet on vines, and even managing to freeze the moisture that kept the plants alive.

When there was absolutely no movement beneath them anymore, Elsa stopped the raging blizzard, revealing a white plain that covered pretty much everything that had been below them.

"Right. Well, okay. Yeah. That's… impressive," the woman next to them muttered, weapons suddenly hovering to her side and neatly piling themselves onto each other.

"Thank you," Elsa smiled, looking at the snow below them. Just then, a strange, rustling sound could be discerned, muted by the piles of snow but still clearly audible for several seconds.

"Could you remove the snow?" the woman asked. "Just a patch of it?"

Elsa did as asked, removing a few square feet of snow with a single flick from her wrist. Everyone seemed surprised to find the plants underneath the snow to be brown and withered, as if they had been left in a desert without water for weeks.

"You can remove the rest of the snow, now. Briar's long gone," the woman muttered. "When she relinquishes plants from her hold, _that_'s what happens to them."

* * *

The Judge slowly lowered himself in the luxurious chair behind his desk, watching at the gathering before him. "Your Majesties, Your Highnesses, Milady…" he started. "My first utterance against you was to be my apology for the use of my ring. However, in light of recent events, I would first like to thank you for coming to our aid during today's events. Many of my commanding officers, as well as General Novirrin, have remarked on the fact that you – all of you – have been a great asset. There is no doubt in my mind that the Grey Gardens owe their continued existence to you."

"We were just happy we could help out," Elsa smiled. "As for the apology… It was a misunderstanding. You have every reason to be wary of danger. We all do, nowadays."

The Judge nodded slowly. "Nevertheless, I acted hastily and erroneously. I wish for there to be no ill will amongst us. If today has shown us anything, it is that we were wrong in the belief that we could sit this fight out. Novirrin tells me that today's attack was orchestrated by a single magician. A girl barely in her teens. I shudder to think what they could accomplish together."

"Is she dead?" Merida blurted suddenly. "She's dead, right?"

"Unlikely," Novirrin answered grumpily. "We didn't find a body in the woods – or rather, what's left of them – and Briar has gotten out of worse scrapes just fine in the past. She's still out there, somewhere. But this stunt must have cost her a lot of energy. Every vine we cut was a little assault on her mind, and when the forest was frozen over, it became too much for her. She released the plants from her control, and probably fled to nurse her wounds. Physical _and_ mental."

Merida was cursing up a storm under her breath, but everyone chose to ignore her. Instead, Elsa spoke up again. "So Arendelle and the Grey Gardens can work together? Despite my powers, and those of some of my allies?"

The Judge nodded slowly. "Not all rumours about me are true, Your Majesty. It's true that I'm not big on magic, but I do not persecute it blindly. My informants tell me that you are a just ruler, and that your people love and admire you. We would much rather ally ourselves with Arendelle than with the Onyx Tower. I am aware that this is a time sensitive matter, and I imagine you'll want to discuss the specifics. However, I ask you to wait until tomorrow. I have a wounded city that needs to be tended to, my people are in panic, and there is a lot of rebuilding that needs to be done."

"Of course, Your Honour. Tomorrow suits us just fine."

* * *

Merida was idly walking around the city. People were cleaning and rebuilding all around the main gate, but the city itself had been remarkably unharmed, and there life just seemed to continue as it usually did.

She had figured that she should take the opportunity to take a look around. Especially since there was a good chance she'd never be able to enter the city again.

She was intently studying the bow displayed in one of the shop windows. She wondered if she could convince someone to gift it to her. Maybe as thanks for saving their arses from the invading tree army?

"Hello."

A rather undignified shriek escaped Merida's throat as she whirled around, a loose arrow already in her fist to be used as a make-shift dagger. "Shite, woman! Don't sneak up'n me like that!" the redheaded princess grumbled, coming face to face with the emerald-eyes woman she'd seen before. "Whaddaye want?"

The woman's red lips stretched into a pleased grin. "I'm Esmeralda. Pleased to meet you?" she smiled, holding out a hand for Merida to shake.

Her attention was momentarily caught by the dangling golden bracelets, but she reached out to shake the hand nonetheless. "Ye still haven't told me whadye want."

"Just to introduce myself," Esmeralda smiled with a shrug. "You're Princess Merida of DunBroch, correct?"

"Aye?"

Esmeralda hummed pleasantly. "You really are quite exceptional," she said with another grin, lips turning up in a more playful manner. "I saw you on the wall, today. Very impressive. Also, kind of hot."

Merida prided herself on always knowing _something_ to say, but on this one instance she found herself entirely gobsmacked. Especially when the woman had the audacity to add a wink.

"Well, I've taken up enough of your time for now," she continued. "I do hope to be seeing a lot more of you in the future, though." And then, with a kiss to her cheek and another one of those darned winks, she casually sauntered away.

For some reason, Merida found herself looking after the woman, mouth hanging open and eyes fixated on the hypnotic sway of her hips, until the woman disappeared from her view.

_Shite. What the hell just happened? Did she wink at me? And why am I so… _

Just then, it dawned on Merida that the woman had some sort of magical powers. She instantly set her feet into motion, the bow in the shop entirely forgotten as she set off in search of Rapunzel. If anyone could tell her what kind of powers this _Esmeralda_ had, it was probably her…


	29. Chapter 29

**I know this was long overdue. My writing has been going slower and slower as of late, and there are a ton of different reasons for it. But, fear not, I still stand by my promise: none of my stories are ever going to be abandoned. I really do care too much about my babies to let them sit around unfinished. So, even though it might _seem_ like I'm gone, or lost interest, or just don't care anymore, I assure you that is never the case. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Rapunzel! There you are. I've been looking for ye forever!" Merida huffed as she came up to the other princess, who was sitting in the middle of the town square, cross-legged and with a sketchpad resting in her lap. Her hands and face were covered with black smudges from the charcoal she was using to draw the building in front of her. "What's that?"

Rapunzel hummed thoughtfully. "Well, at first, I thought it was a church," she mused out loud, not taking her eyes away from the building. "But some of the townsfolk told me that there's no singularly accepted religion in this city. So I figured it to be some sort of temple, where they worship a variety of deities. Apparently, that's not the case either. It's… I suppose it is a sort of holy place for anyone to just… _be_."

"Don't they get into fights if they have a bunch of religions?" Merida asked, brows drawing together in puzzlement.

The blonde gave another hum. "I don't think there's much that leads to fights among the people here. They all seem so… peaceful. Since arriving here, I haven't seen a single row or argument. It's like they're all kindred spirits, with nothing to disagree on."

"Creepy," Merida grumbled.

"I kind of like it," Rapunzel shrugged in response, finally looking at the redhead. "You wanted to tell me something?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! I need you to tell me 'bout the witch."

The petite princess gave a wistful smile. "Used to be a time where that would have been enough for me to know who you meant. Nowadays, it seems every other woman is a witch. You could mean the evil witch. You could mean Elsa… I suppose you could even mean me."

"I meant _Esmeralda_," Merida huffed, feeling the heat spread across her cheeks already.

"Esmeralda? That's one of the Judge's sorceresses, right?"

"Yes," Merida nodded quickly. "I need you to tell me what her powers are."

"Um… And why do you think I would be in possession of this particular information?" Rapunzel countered with raised eyebrows.

"You _always_ know _everything_," Merida huffed exasperatedly.

"You flatter me… But as you well know, I – or anyone – don't have informants in this city. I arrived here at the same time you did, and I've had about as much contact with this Esmeralda as you have. So no, I don't know."

The first of a lengthy string of curses had only just flown past her lips when Merida noticed the sly smile growing on her friend's face. Before she had a chance to ask, the blonde sprang to her feet.

"But I know someone who does! Come on!" she chirped, grabbing Merida's hand and practically dragging her off into the direction of the weird grey trees behind the Judge's palace.

"God, woman, where are you draggin' me off to?"

"To answers, of course!" Rapunzel chirped happily over her shoulder, never breaking stride.

* * *

It was hardly a surprise to him that, when they first caught sight of the city of Arendelle, they were immediately beset upon by a veritable army – sporting the insignias of Arendelle, DunBroch, Corona and even France.

"Welcome to Arendelle," one of the knights spoke, immediately making it evident that he was their leader. "We've been expecting you."

"I would hope so," Jasmine laughed daintily. "I'd hate for all my missives to have been intercepted. I take it you gentlemen are to be our escort to the castle?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the knight responded with a small bow.

Druid couldn't hide the surprise that must have been plainly visible on his face, judging by another chime-like laugh from his companion. "No time for questions now, I'm afraid," she shrugged with a smile. "Our journey is not yet to an end, old friend. Soon, though."

The knight cleared his throat, awkwardly holding out two sets of shackles. "I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness, but… Well, we were ordered to consider you hostile until proven otherwise… Both of you."

The smile on Jasmine's face visibly shrunk a little, eyes narrowing for a split second, before she shrugged again. "I suppose that is only fair. Mind control is a nasty business, after all. You may shackle me. But no blindfold or gag," she added. "It's not like I don't know where we're going anyway."

The knight nodded, but Jasmine stopped him before he could shackle her. "Also, I need to be the one to shackle the old man behind me. His magic necessitates he doesn't touch any of you physically. You can look on to confirm I'm doing everything correctly, but no touching."

After the knight agreed, Jasmine took the heavy steel shackles from his hand and gently clasped them around Druid's thin wrists, peering upwards as she clicked them closed. "I'm sorry about this. Necessary precautions."

Druid merely dipped his head submissively. "I understand, _Your Highness. _Wouldn't have expected any less."

As soon as the shackles were put on, she carefully slipped a piece of cloth around his head, keeping him from speaking. "It's only for fifteen minutes or so. We'll be continuing on horseback from here." He barely got a chance to nod before a burlap sack was thrown over his head.

He could still hear the jingle of shackles as they were clasped around Jasmine's wrists, and her annoyed but subdued sigh also reached his ears. "You lot better be careful," he heard her call a minute later. "If he drops off that horse because you weren't paying attention or something, I'll have you stranded out in the desert without water for a few weeks."

_Desert? There aren't any deserts around here… Not even remotely…_

* * *

Elsa smiled to herself as she watched Anna uncomfortably shift around in her seat, eyes roaming over the antique furniture in the rather old and stuffy study of the Judge. The old man himself was just finishing pouring three cups of tea and setting out a plate with sandwiches and biscuits.

"There, then," he smiled reservedly as he sat down in the large upholstered chair. "Feel free to take whatever you'd like. I find political discussions to be quite exhausting and a strain on the stomach."

Elsa gave a furtive glance out of the window, watching the people bustling around the city square. "Seeing as how much there's still left to be done, one can only hope we needn't be here for too long."

"Quite so," the Judge nodded primly. "So, shall we get down to business, then?"

After a quick nod from both her and Anna, the Judge continued. "By now, you're probably well aware that I have been keeping a close eye on the progression of this conflict. I wasn't planning to get involved – for the sake of my city, I'm sure you understand…"

"But now they've forced your hand," Anna smiled wistfully, sipping from her tea.

"Indeed. We expected this from the moment Novirrin arrived here and demanded I join Lady Yuwin of the Onyx Tower in her attempt to squash Arendelle for no apparent reason. When I freed Novirrin from the mind control, and she decided to stay here, her companions apparently travelled back north. Unfortunately, it does not appear they _stayed_ there."

Elsa nodded gravely. "If we do not act appropriately, I have little doubt a great deal of sorrow will befall us all."

The Judge took a slow sip from his tea, before placing the cup back on the saucer. "What do you suggest?"

"For starters," Elsa mused, "it would seem wise to share our information. If we're to be allies, neither of us can afford the other being blindsided."

"Very well," the old man nodded, grabbing a hefty stack of papers from one of his drawers. "I don't have much, and I have no doubt that you're already aware of some of this… Still, whatever information I have, you'll have as well."

Anna grimaced at the sight of the stack. "That looks like a lot…"

"If you'd like, Milady, I'll talk you through the most important matters, and ensure you get copies to take with you back to Arendelle, to work through at your own leisure."

"That'd be great," the redhead muttered demurely.

"Alright… Let me see… Ah, yes. Most importantly, the Onyx Tower has sent out a rather sizeable fleet of specialized warships. They hope to move across the icy seas to the east and blindside the southern kingdoms, enabling them to attack Arendelle from two sides."

"Yes," Elsa smiled snidely. "We were aware of that. Rest assured, we've taken the necessary precautions to ensure that doesn't happen."

For a moment, it seemed as if the Judge was about to express his doubts, but he closed his mouth with a subtle smile. "Very well. One of my informants worked on the ships. You'll find some basic blueprints in there, and some of the ships weak points have been marked."

"That should be helpful," Anna mused out loud, flipping through the many pages. "We should get these to Ariel's people as soon as possible."

Elsa nodded, hardly sparing the blueprints a glance. "Indeed. We'll send a messenger bird. I'm certain our spymaster will have a way to encode the information."

"Moving on," the Judge said, pouring new tea into his cup. "You'll also find a semi-detailed report of Lady Yuwin's botched attempt at a coronation in there, a list of her magical allies, which is fairly comprehensive, courtesy of Novirrin."

"We should soon have a comprehensive source of our own," Elsa confided with a small dip of her head. "Nonetheless, the information will come in handy. It'll allow us to cross-check our sources."

At the Judge's interested and curious glance, Elsa continued. "We have it on good authority that the mind-control of one of Yuwin's allies, the old man only known as the Druid, has been broken. He should be on his way to Arendelle with one of our former informants as we speak."

"Can he be trusted?" the Judge asked with a grimace.

"That remains to be seen," Anna shrugged. "Nevertheless, it's better to have him in Arendelle and locked up than to have him up there, with the enemy."

"Unless he's planning to take you down from within…" the Judge trailed off.

"The necessary security measures will be taken, rest assured."

"I'll take your word for it… Now then, are you aware of the Southern pass – Apologies, that would be the Northern pass for you – is being watched?"

Elsa's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "We were not… Since when?"

"A while now," the Judge responded vaguely. "We aren't exactly certain when the surveillance started, but one of my scout teams reported it to me about a week ago."

"We'll have to put a stop to that at some point," Elsa mused out loud. "It would be nice to know a little more about our query, though."

"I'll send out a team and observe the observers," the Judge promised. "That's what allies are for, after all."

"Is there anything we can do in return?" Anna immediately asked, making Elsa heart swell with pride. Anna really was becoming more of a queen every single day, and moments like these just made her want to swoop the younger woman up in her arms and carry her off to the altar right now. And bed, immediately after.

"Well, the Grey Gardens don't have the means to stand against Yuwin's magical generals. We can match their footsoldiers and decimate their armies – probably even without too much trouble. But we'll need Arendelle and her allies to deal with the magic."

"What do you suggest?" Elsa asked with an arched eyebrow, sipping from her tea.

"Nothing complicated, I assure you," the Judge smiled. "I can't leave my city undefended, as I'm sure you'll understand. So, instead, I'll position the full force of my army close-by. That will mean the Onyx Tower will have to march right through us to get to Arendelle. I'm hoping that, while we engage in our grand-standing and bluffing, you'll be able to handle most of Yuwin's sorcerers, maybe even the Lady herself. If not… well, we'll deal with the non-magical sods who march for her, buy Arendelle as much time as possible…"

Elsa gave a slow nod, placing her cup down again, and carefully grabbing one of the biscuits. "That sounds reasonable. We'll go back to Arendelle, gather as much information as we can… and then come up with some ingenious way to deal with our opponents."

"I would request you take Esmeralda and Novirrin with you, should they be amenable to that decision," the Judge added. "They're useful allies to have, but I have a feeling they will be of more use to you than to me, on the battlefield."

"Are you certain?" Elsa asked. "I've seen Novirrin in battle. She seems an outstanding commander and soldier."

"For certain," the Judge nodded. "But so are the generals of the Grey Gardens. To put Novirrin in anything but a leadership position in my army would be an insult to her. And to put her in charge would be an insult to my generals. So, if everyone agrees, I'll send her with you, hoping that she can help resolve this issue as fast as we can."

"Very well," Elsa nodded resolutely. "Though I feel I should let you know that, upon our return to Arendelle, our marriage ceremony will not be far off, so we'll need some time-"

"Yes," the Judge interrupted. "So I've heard. I imagine my invitation was lost in the mail, seeing as my informants told me about it."

Before either of the stunned women could respond, the Judge started to chuckle. "No need to look so shocked. I was merely joking. I _do_ have a sense of humour, contrary to what some people might tell you… Nonetheless, I'll be busy around here, organizing my troops. I wish the two of you the best of luck, and the utmost of happiness in the future, of course…"

"Thank you, Your Honour," they chimed in unison.

* * *

Rapunzel had been dragging her through this god-darned forest for what seemed like hours now, and Merida still had no idea where the frack they were going. It was a relief when the blonde finally came to a stop – even if that meant that she ran into her full force and the two of them nearly toppled to the ground together.

When she finally steadied herself and looked around, she noticed they'd reached a small clearing in the oddly shaped, oddly coloured trees. And there, on a grey tree stump sat the same darned woman that had driven Merida to seek Rapunzel's counsel.

"You brought me to _her_?" she hissed through clenched teeth.

Rapunzel turned toward her, head cocked sideways. "Who did you _think_ I was taking you to?"

"Someone who had answers!" Merida huffed.

"Well, if anyone has the answers you're looking for, it's her. Right?" the blonde asked with a sly smile.

God. For all of her intelligence, sometimes Rapunzel was really dense. "I can't talk to her!"

"Okay," the other princess chirped, walking further into the clearing and clearing her throat. "Um, Miss Esmeralda?"

"Just Esmeralda," the raven-haired woman responded before turning around. As soon as she did, she got up from the stump and gave an elegant curtsy. As soon as Merida saw the collar of the woman's shirt slip downward slightly, she immediately averted her eyes, studying the grey leaves above them.

"Princess Rapunzel, Princess Merida, I did not expect to see either of you here. It's a… _pleasure_."

Rapunzel hummed. "The pleasure is all ours. Or, Merida's, really."

At that, Esmeralda cocked an eyebrow, a smile growing on her face as Merida's head whipped around towards her treacherous friend. "What the- Punz!"

"What? You wanted me to bring you answers. Now you know where to find them. Bye!" she waved, cheerfully skipping away. Merida felt certain that, if she could see Rapunzel's face, the woman would have a self-satisfied little smirk gracing her features.

"Some friend you are…" she grumbled under her breath.

"Well then," Esmeralda smiled lazily. "Looks like it's just the two of us, hm?"

"I need to go," Merida huffed, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and over-heated.

"Really? Now, that is the saddest news I've heard all day," Esmeralda pouted, playing with one of her golden earrings. "And someone just told me their puppies were all sold out, so that's saying something."

Merida, already moving to walk away, suddenly whirled around. "Are you… comparing me to a pup?"

Esmeralda smiled wickedly. "I'd much rather have you," she winked, before laughing freely. "You look really lovely when your face is about the same shade as your hair. Very pretty."

"Shut up," Merida growled under her breath.

"My, my, aren't you tense?" Esmeralda continued. "How about I give you a backrub? Then, afterwards, you can ask me whatever it was you wanted to know…"

"I- We- What- Backrub? No. No no no. No one's rubbing backs," Merida stammered, waving her hands in front of her.

Esmeralda gave her another small pout, before shrugging. "As you wish. Just the questions then?"

Merida closed her eyes for a moment. There was no denying it, now. This _had_ to be magic. "What's your skill?" she suddenly blurted.

Esmeralda's smile seemed to grow even wider. "Oh, I have a _lot_ of skills, if you know-"

"Your _magic_ skill!" Merida quickly interrupted, cheeks heating up even more.

"Oh… That's… complicated."

"I'm not a bloody oaf, woman. I'm sure I'll be able to understand."

"Well, my magic is a form of seduction that-"

Upon hearing the word 'seduction' Merida whirled around and sprinted out of the clearing, ignoring Esmeralda's pleas for her to wait up.

She had to find Elsa.

"Bloody magic," she panted under her breath, never slowing down.

* * *

He was sitting on the bed when the knock at the door came. An actual bed, not a cot. For some reason, the Arendellians hadn't thrown him into the dungeon upon arrival at the castle. Instead, they'd escorted him up here, to a sparsely but comfortably furnished room. Of course, there were four guards standing outside his door, and the window would only be a means of escape if one could fly, but that was just sensible behaviour when allowing a possible enemy into your stronghold, he figured.

The knock came again, jarring him from his thoughts. "Enter, please," he called, voice scratchy.

The woman that entered carried herself with regal bearing, tipping him off to the fact that she was royalty before he even noticed the delicate golden crown resting on her chestnut brown hair.

"You must be the Druid I've heard so much about," the woman smiled, placing a book and a pitcher of water on the nightstand.

"Indeed, Your Majesty," he bowed. "But I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. I know you not to be Queen Else of Arendelle, and I'm fairly confident she hasn't married yet, so you cannot be the _other_ queen, could you?"

The woman smiled. "Indeed I am not. I am Belle, Queen of France, pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said pleasantly, holding out a hand.

"I mean no disrespect, but it is better for me not to touch your hand," he bowed again.

"Ah, yes, very well," the woman said, still smiling. "Jasmine told me about your skillset. Anyhow, I brought you something to read and drink. Dinner will be brought to your room in a few hours."

"I thank you kindly, Your Majesty," he murmured.

"I'd also like to apologize for the discomfort you must have endured on your journey here. Necessary evils, to keep everyone safe."

"I understand entirely," the Druid said with a small smile.

"Also, Queen Elsa and Lady Anna are, unfortunately, not in the city right now. We've arranged for you to have an audience with them as soon as they return, but I cannot say when that will be.

Druid gave a soft chuckle. "Well, I'm not going anywhere, Your Majesty."

"Indeed, you are not," Belle smiled pleasantly, before turning around and closing the door behind her again.

* * *

Sitting in the top of her tower, she disinterestedly stared out of the window as the field beneath was being cleared of the debris and damage she had caused when her powers had gotten out of control during the supposed coronation. _Stupid-_

"What is it?" she barked, sensing the presence of two messengers behind her.

"Lady Yuwin, we have… news."

She twirled around, facing the teenagers with a menacing smile. "Oh, please, do tell," she remarked snidely. "This better be important."

The boy stepped forward, shielding the girl behind him with his body. "Um, well, Milady… The scouts and trackers didn't manage to… locate the Druid and the escaped spy… We're fairly certain that they're in Arendelle by now. Or at least, too close for us to still get to them."

"I see," she mused quietly, before swiftly bringing up her hand, black mist shooting through the air and forming tendrils of darkness that zigzagged towards the two messengers. And then, just before they would have reached their goal, a stabbing pain shot through her skull, breaking her concentration and causing the darkness to dissipate instantly.

"No!" she spat out, clutching her head. "Not again!"

"I won't let-"

"Shut up!" she yelled, realizing she was responding to her own voice.

"You can't keep-"

"I can do what I want!"

Slumping against the cold stone wall and sliding down to her heels, her face suddenly shot upwards towards the two messengers, still standing in the same spot, rooted to the floor and looking on with a mix of fear and curiosity.

"Run, you fools!" she yelled at them, before clutching her head again and banging it against the stone wall.

By the time the dark tendrils reached out to grab them again, the heavy oaken door at fallen closed behind them, leaving her alone in her room.

Or at least, as alone as she ever was…


End file.
